Just weeks after the much-delayed flumes at the National Sports Centre’s pool were open for business, one has had to be shut.

It has been temporarily closed to allow "for further assessment".

A spokesman for the Department of Education, Sport and Leisure, which runs the facility, this morning said: "The closure follows concerns which emerged just before Christmas, that a swimmer’s exit from the flume is not always as smooth as it should be. Consequently, the NSC team has taken the decision to temporarily suspend the flume until more is known.

"The exact cause of the problem has yet to be established, but the observations of staff and users’ experience on the flume have been sent to the contractor that installed the facility."

The contractor is due back in the island early in the New Year, and has been asked to investigate and rectify the problem.

The flume in question will remain closed until then, however the other flume, splash zones and pools continue to be fully operational.

The flumes saga has dragged on for years.

The £4.2 million refurbishment project has been hit with a number of delays since work to replace the flumes at the Douglas sports centre started in 2017.

Minister for Education, Sport and Culture Julie Edge MHK said: ‘It is regrettable that we have had to close one of the flumes a short time after it opened, and during the school holidays. However, we will always act quickly in the interests of safety.

‘The flumes were tested by the contractor as part of the commissioning process and were deemed safe for use. However, some issues may only become apparent after continued use. We must address any concerns - and unfortunately that means the flume will be out of action for the time being. Once the cause and the solution are fully understood, we will expect swift action to resolve any issues, so that both flumes can once again be enjoyed by children and families.’

All other NSC sport and gym facilities will be open from tomorrow (Sunday).