HEALTH and safety rules looks set to sink a seaside resort’s hopes of reopening its historic paddling pool and boating lake.

Officials say that if the scheme were to go ahead, a massive £350,000 must be found to pay for safety inspections that would need to be scheduled in for the next 100 years.

The plan to rebuild the pool was allocated money from a £200,000 Government coastal grant given to spruce up seaside towns in Wirral.

Householders in New Brighton ranked rebuilding the promenade’s tidal paddling pool as their number one priority in a list of projects.

The kiddies’ pool closed around 30 years ago and has since been a target for vandals.

Wirral Council agreed last year that £10,650 should be earmarked from the fund for the initiative.

But now the council’s ruling cabinet is being urged to back-track and scrap the idea due to insufficient cash and concerns about safety over the next century.

A report set to go before politicians next week says the applicant, Wellington Road Conservation Society, had not budgeted for a structural inspection of the site, which will cost around £1,000.

And council officers predict regular inspections needed in order to meet health and safety regulations will cost around £350,000 over the next 100 years.

Although the conservation society planned to set up a “Friends group” to carry out the inspections, and suggested only opening the pool during summer months, officials say this will not match up to requirements.

They say the pool would have to come under the authority’s maintenance schedule and are worried it is “likely to prove popular with young children” so would require daily inspections.

Failure to do so would leave the town hall exposed to compensation claims it would find difficult to contest.

They recommend the tidal pool rebuild be scrapped and suggest the money goes to Wallasey Sea Cadets instead.

New Brighton Tory councillor Sue Taylor said she was disappointed the project looks set to be scrapped and is calling for more details about funding issues.

Councillor Taylor said: “It is very disappointing for the town that we will not get the tidal pool as a lot of people were looking forward to seeing it restored.

“I do not understand where the figure of £350,000 over 100 years has come from and would very much like to see these numbers for myself.

"There needs to be more transparency to show how officers have come to this conclusion.

"We have had to deal with losing other things that were promised to us such as the lido so the paddling pool would have proved very popular with families.

“I will certainly be asking questions regarding the health and safety concerns.”