Further disruption is expected at the National Sports Centre (NSC) swimming pool after it was confirmed damaged tiles will have to be replaced.

The swimming complex at the sports centre has been plagued by problems since a £4.4m revamp began in 2018, which led to lengthy delays in reopening the leisure pool and water slides. Two of the eight lanes at the pool have been closed since November.

Education, Sport and Culture Daphne Caine provided an update on the situation during this week’s Tynwald sitting after being asked by Arbory, Castletown and Malew MHK Jason Moorhouse whether the tiles at the Douglas facility will need to be replaced.

Mrs Caine said: ‘The department anticipates the section affected will need to be retiled. The department continues to engage with the design team, contractors and suppliers to ascertain the cause of the damage and better understand why the issue has occurred.

‘Understanding the root cause is difficult because of the original work being carried out through a number of contractors. The department appreciates this is taking some time. However, we must ensure the cause is determined as repairing the tiles without understanding the cause may result in the issue recurring.

‘Until the cause has been determined I am unable to confirm the timeframe in which work will be undertaken to replace the tiles in the pool.’

Mr Moorhouse raised concerns it is impacting on the Isle of Man Swimming Club and will be a ‘major issue’.

But Mrs Caine said she was unable to provide further details.

She said: ‘Everybody is really frustrated by the situation but the challenges faced by the pool community I’m afraid there is nothing we can do until the cause has been determined and agreed by the specialist contractors.’

Six lanes of the pool remained ‘fully open’, she explained, which ‘still allows swimming events and training to continue’.