A freedom of information request by the BBC to councils across the UK found that 65 pools had closed temporarily or permanently between March 2019 and 2022, not counting suspension of activities during COVID-19 lockdowns.

Simmonds acknowledged the effects of COVID-19, but added that the Government could do more to keep facilities accessible to the public.

"Sport is one of the great loves of the nation and over the past few months we’ve had a lot of problems due to Covid," said the retired swimmer.

"I know that the heating costs are also really high but there are also a lot of pools closing and I just hope that the Government gets as many schoolchildren as possible learning to swim. 

"It is so, so important.

"We need to show the Government and make them more aware there is a problem - we need to put money towards grassroots sport and the infrastructure of venues."

Last month, British Sports Minister Nigel Huddleston said the Conservative Government planned to open up school sports facilities more in future to allow more access to sport and activity.

In May, the Daily Mirror reported that almost 1,000 local council football pitches and sports fields had been lost since 2010, the year the Conservatives were elected into Government.

A total of 600 youth centres and 3,500 youth workers lost their jobs between 2012 and 2016 too.

Sports facility operator UK Active predicts 79 per cent of pools could shut in the next six months too.

Rising energy costs, chemical shortages and lack of staff are all factors that have caused facilities to be closed.

In December 2019, The Times estimated that councils had spent £244 million ($287 million/€289 million) on its sports facilities in 2018, this being significantly lower than the £565 million ($665 million/€670 million) spent in 2009.