MORE people are taking to the water in Kirklees, bucking national trends.

Swimming pools including those at Huddersfield Sports Centre, Holmfirth, and Dewsbury Sport Centre, are growing in popularity, according to Kirklees Active Leisure's (KAL) annual report.

Across all the pools in the district there were 11% more swimmers in 2003/4 than the previous year.

There were two million visits to sports centres and swimming pools in the area last year, confirming more people were keen on sports.

In the UK as a whole, use of sports centres was down.

A £6m investment to improve all of the 10 sites in the area is expected to continue to encourage people to get healthy.

Huddersfield Sports Centre operational manager Sarah Flanagan said she was delighted that more and more people were doing sports at the centre.

"We have seen a real upturn in the number of people who are using the pool," she said.

"And lots of people come at different times. Lunchtime swimming has become very popular.

"We have started a VIP card for children which has been a big favourite.

"It means that anyone who is taking swimming lessons at the pool can swim for free at other times.

"This encourages parents to bring the children swimming a few times during the week which will help them improve.

"I think since KAL took over two years ago from the council a lot has changed."

But it is not just the swimming pool that has seen a rise in visitors. A huge 39% more people are taking part in activity classes and the climbing wall has also proved popular.

KAL chief executive Terry Meehan said: "This second year has seen us consolidate on our excellent start, meeting our financial targets and expanding our service portfolio.

"We have moved magnificently in developing the services related to health and fitness. I look forward to further development, particularly in providing services related to combating obesity in young children and in services for those entering later life."

Lunchtime swimmers Kathryn Sills, 23, a clinical scientist from Marsh, and Sarah Lowe, 23, a student from Quarmby, use Huddersfield pool regularly.

Kathryn said: "I come down for exercise and although there are still some improvements I think could be made it has got a lot better in the past few years.

Sarah agreed: "I come for a swim about three times a week and I definitely think the standards have got better."

During the next year KAL and the council plan to spend £1.8m on even more improvements to sports facilities to try and tempt even more people to get active.

A £687,000 Football Centre of Excellence at Batley Sports and Tennis Centre is also due to open in early 2005.

Use of pools from April to June 2003 and 2004:

* Colne Valley 2003: 26,113; 2004: 31,036.

* Dewsbury: 2003: 83,363; 2004: 89,996.

* Holmfirth Pool: 2003: 17,459; 2004: 17,180.

* Huddersfield Centre: 2003: 94,489; 2004: 98,301.

* Scissett Baths: 2003: 18,845; 2004: 22,493.

* Galpharm Stadium: 2003 - 17,673; 2004 - 19,522.

* All centres: 2003 - 361,939; 2004 - 391,565.

* Increase at all centres is 8.19%.