Montrose’s multi-million pound showpiece swimming pool has been hit by a second sewage waste pipe burst in a fortnight.
Gallons of foul water poured into the foyer of the facility on Saturday evening as young swimmers from across Tayside were seconds away from taking the plunge in the first race of a gala at the six-lane facility.
Those in the centre spoke of the “disgusting” stench as the centre was evacuated, but some visitors were kept upstairs in the viewing gallery while emergency efforts were made to contain the effluent which has spewed onto the open area at the front of the centre.
The incident is carbon copy of a burst which hit the Marine Avenue centre exactly a fortnight ago – coincidentally when another Midlands district swimming gala was being hosted by the centre.
There were reports of people being hit by raw sewage in that incident as the pipe above the foyer burst.
The area affected in the latest incident is the same part of the sports centre, but no-one is thought to have been hit by sewage.
The Courier understands swimmers had completed warm ups for the gala and the first event was just about to get underway.
“The first of the young swimmers were behind the blocks and ready to go and then all of a sudden the gala announcer said that there had been an incident in the foyer and the gala had to be cancelled,” said one eye witness.
“The people on the balcony were told to remain there and the swimmers were told to get changed. They then had to return to poolside and go out the door from the pool leading to the foyer, rather than through the changing room door.”
“When we were leaving we could see a panel from the ceiling had come down and the sewage was all over the floor in the front of the reception area.
“As soon as you walked from the poolside into the reception area the smell hit you – it was absolutely disgusting, foul.”
Centre staff immediately surrounded the area of the burst and cordoned off the changing room entrance to ensure no-one came in contact with the affected area.
Staff worked through the night on the occasion of the last burst to clean-up the mess and it is understood an emergency plumber was summoned to the centre in the aftermath of this latest incident.
Angus Council confirmed the problem involved the wastepipe from the upstairs toilets in the centre. In a posting on the Angus Leisure facebook site the council said tradesmen were on site with the aim of the centre and pool being open as normal on Sunday.