The stadium, run by Harpers Fitness, was set up to be used for disabled people, but since December 17 some members of the Aylesbury Area Disabled Club, who need to use the hoist to enjoy a swim, have had to stay at home. And they will have to wait until February to get back into the pool.

Roy Carter, chairman of the club who runs the swimming, said: "Since December 17 they have withdrawn the use of the hoist to lift people into the water.

"(Harpers) have said it's been taken away because of health and safety, but it doesn't take that long to rectify what's gone wrong.

"This is not good enough for a stadium which was built for disabled people. I've got people who have had strokes and had lost all hope and it's made a difference in their lives. They're just staying at home. Swimming is probably the best exercise a disabled person can get and it's a bit of socialising as well."

A spokesman from Harpers said they will aim to replace the hoist next month. "We would like to apologise to any customer who has not been able to use the pool at Stoke Mandeville Centre recently," he said.

"We have been advised by the Medicines and Healthcare Products Regulatory Agency that a new safety strap was needed for our hoists and that we should withdraw them from use until they were fitted.

"We have been told the new design straps will be available at the beginning of February and we're doing everything we can to ensure we get them installed and the hoists in operation again as soon as possible."

What do you think of this story?

To comment on this or any other Bucks Herald story, click here.

To post comments directly on this website, click on the Comment on this Story link below