The council handed the running of the building to the trust in 1996, due to maintenance costs, but has still been providing £20,000 a year.

Two years ago, the authority gave the trust a May deadline to complete repairs or it would take the property back – and the community rallied around to ensure the work was completed.

Then, before Christmas, staff said they had also cut shifts and wages bills from £16,000 to £9,000, as part of cost-cutting measures.

Mr Gaines said: “We got a call at 8.30pm on Sunday. The directors were cashing up what was left and they said ‘You’re redundant as from tonight’.”

Yesterday, Georgina Moffat, who had learned to swim at Byrne Avenue, and had worked there for the last seven years, said even on Sunday morning the staff had been unaware of the troubles the baths still faced.

She said: “I was due in at 9am Monday for the start of half term swimming lessons, and I wouldn’t want people to think the staff had known what was happening. We had still been taking bookings and money off customers on Sunday morning.”

Calls to the baths by the Daily Post went unanswered yesterday, and the Charity Commission said they had not yet been informed of the liquidation of the organisation.

liammurphy