Baths campaigners set to give up

Crestfallen campaigners have all but thrown in the towel in the fight to save Coseley baths after they were refused funding to launch legal action.

The man who spearheaded the campaign, Brian Guest, admitted today the fight was almost over after a last ditch attempt to save it fell at the final hurdle.

Time was already against the Save Coseley Baths group after demolition of the baths got under way this week.

Their hopes of an 11th hour reprieve were dealt another crushing blow when the Legal Services Commission announced it would not bankroll a courtroom battle.

More than £20,000 was needed to finance a bid to seek an injunction preventing Dudley Council knocking down the building in Pear Tree Lane.

While Mr Guest said he was "investigating other legal avenues" he conceded the latest meeting of the protest committee had been a sombre occasion.

The 66-year-old, of Elmwood Rise, Sedgley suggested the group's attention would now turn to campaigning on new fronts, saying: "We will be organising a public meeting to explain the actions of this council and to seek the continued support we have received throughout our campaign."

The baths will be torn down within three months after work to remove windows, doors and asbestos from the building started.

Fences were erected around the building by workers clad in high visibility vests and hard hats on Tuesday morning.

Residents' fears were confirmed when Dudley Council confirmed Birmingham-based contractor Coleman & Company had been appointed to carry out the demolition project.Bulldozers are expected to be on site at the end of the month.

Residents disgusted with the lack of warning complained they had been treated with "utter contempt".

Deputy council leader Councillor Les Jones said releasing information about work starting could have led to ugly scenes at the baths, adding emails were circulated on the morning workers appeared on site.

Chairman of the Coseley Civic Trust John Wilkes has applied for the building to be granted listed status and criticised the council for moving ahead with demolition before the application was decided.

The council was this week cleared of blame over claims it breached conservation rules after a colony of bats was found roosting in the roof.Campaigners asked Natural England to launch an inquiry amid concerns decommissioning works would disturb the colony.

However wildlife advisers decided to take no action against the council after concluding the works would have had a "negligible impact" on the roost.