SWIMMERS were evacuated from York's Yearsley Swimming Pool after a gas alert.

The baths, near the Nestl Rowntree factory, closed yesterday after higher than normal levels of gas were found in the ladies' shower cubicles at about 12.55pm.

Swimmers were given five minutes to get changed and assemble outside, while staff alerted Transco investigators. The pool has remained closed since.

A Transco spokeswoman said the baths had been ventilated and workers were repairing the gas leak this morning.

She said: "There seems to have been a quite small leak that found its way into the building.

"We will carry out permanent repairs this morning, by digging down to the mains."

The closure was another blow to the problem-struck pool, which only reopened on Monday after workmen carried out essential repairs to the roof.

The baths shut for almost a month last autumn after being hit by a series of problems, including a failure of the heating system and a breakdown of the ventilation fans in the roof.

A City of York Council spokeswoman said: "Yearsley Swimming Pool was evacuated following the discovery of higher than normal levels of mains gas in the area. The evacuation of the 50 visitors was completed successfully in less than five minutes.

"The gas is not thought to be coming from Yearsley Swimming Pool.

"Transco has an investigation team in the area and we are awaiting further instructions from them about the reopening of the site."

She said the pool might reopen later today.

Updated: 10:02 Thursday, February 17, 2005