A STEP forward has been taken in a project to restore a North Dorset swimming pool with a council pledge to build a new footpath to a free car park.

The right of way received the green light at an extraordinary general meeting of Shaftesbury Town Council.

The meeting had been called to rubber stamp a donation of £15,000 to pay for the pool's liner which is due to be laid on February 4.

But councillors splashed out further with a pledge to link the pool to free parking facilities.

The mayor of Shaftesbury, Cllr Derek Beer, said the path would encourage even more people to use the lido.

"We gave a commitment to putting in a footpath to the pool from the Barton Hill car park as soon as possible," said Cllr Beer.

"To access the pool at the moment means crossing a muddy field," he added.

John Brooks, a trustee of the project to restore the pool, said a footpath to a free car park would increase possibilities for the pool.

"It means that people will have somewhere to park and a nice little stroll across what will be a park area," said Mr Brooks.

The restoration chief welcomed the council's donations, but said more money was needed to modernise changing facilities at the pool.

"At the moment we have a cement and fibre roof with no ceiling boards.

"It's a nice modern pool but it has changing rooms which date from the 1930s," said Mr Brooks.

A tiled roof with a plaster ceiling was planned for the changing rooms, helping swimmers keep warm when they stepped from the heated pool, he added.

Volunteers working to restore the pool are desperate to reopen it on March 22 and commemorate the birthday of the late Cllr Pam Reynolds, who was their driving force.

"I know that Pam would be pleased," said Mr Brooks.