Swimmers are boycotting a pool due to a disgusting smell which wafts over the water and through the changing rooms.

Andy Warr, of Merland Rise, Epsom Downs, contacted the Epsom Guardian about the "awful smell" in the changing rooms at Leatherhead Leisure Centre, off Guildford Road, Leatherhead.

Mr Warr said he first smelt the stink a month ago and was assured that the drainage problems were being tackled but the smell returned "with a vengeance" on Friday, July 11.

He said: "I noticed it faintly in the men's changing room, it was disgusting at the entrance to the pool and spreading the length of the pool.

"And my wife confirmed that she'd been unable to use the women's changing room or the toilets because of the smell."

The couple have complained to the leisure centre management and Mole Valley District Council.

Mr Warr said: "We just want to be able to go swimming in a clean, pleasant and safe environment. We don't want to have to worry about what the smell will be like or spend time hassling managers to take their responsibilities seriously."

His wife Linda said they will not return to the pool until the sewage smell has gone. She said: "It makes you feel sick and you don’t really want to get into the water. It’s just horrible."

Another swimmer Linda Bond said: "I've found it impossible to use the toilets or changing room next to the pool for weeks. "Now, with the stench drifting sometimes the whole length of the pool, I've had to stop swimming."

On Tuesday David Fanthorpe, leisure monitoring officer at the council, told Mr Warr that remedial work would hopefully happen on Wednesday night to fix the "intermittent" smell.

He said: "A special jetting machine will be put down all the waste pipes from the male and female toilets to the main sewage pit in the pool plant room."

Back on July 7, general manager Martin Pask assured Mr Warr that the smell had gone after drain cleaner and drain rods were used to clear blockages.

Matt Finn, a marketing executive at Fusion, which operates the leisure centre on behalf of the council, said today: "Leatherhead Leisure Centre regrets any displeasure caused to its customers due to intermittent odours near the swimming pool area, the smell is due to a minor maintenance issue.

"Contractors have been appointed and rectification works are to be carried out imminently."