A Mid Sussex leisure centre was forced to shut when a water pipe burst - three days after it reopened following a £2.3 million facelift.

Staff at the Dolphin Leisure Centre in Haywards Heath discovered water cascading through the ceiling of the newly refurbished Olympos Gym, through the floor and into the dry changing area below on Sunday evening.

A mains water pipe in the leisure centre's roof plant, which was not part of the refit, had burst causing severe flooding.

John Pegler, director of leisure and property with Mid Sussex District Council, called in a crisis management team to tackle the problem.

Councillor Mike Gilks said: "Centre staff discovered the burst mains water pipe late on Sunday evening and due to their quick action the damage caused by water from it has been kept to a minimum.

"Everyone has worked so hard to make this refurbishment project a success and this could have been devastating.

"However, the excellent immediate action by both staff and the crisis team means that the minimum inconvenience will be caused to members of the public."

The gym remained closed yesterday morning while the pipe was fixed but reopened at 2pm.

The brief closure had echoes of another water leak.

The £13.5 million Triangle Leisure in Burgess Hill, which opened in 1999, was forced to shut its Aztec pool for several months last year.