Portsmouth City Council (PCC) has transferred responsibility for Hilsea Lido's Blue Lagoon function room to a trust working on plans to reopen the venue's main pool.

The local authority was approached by the Hilsea Lido Pool for People charitable trust last year, which offered to run the function room while it continued to raise funds to reopen the main pool and buildings. In June, the trust secured a 99-year lease on the lido site from PCC and now plans to use grants and voluntary contributions to help revamp the facilities.

PCC cabinet member for culture, leisure and sport Lee Hurst said: "This is another important step in the future of Hilsea Lido and I look forward to seeing the main pool re-opening in due course."