TEENAGERS and over 50s in the Ribble Valley will have increased access to leisure facilities after the announcement of a £1.1million investment programme.

Ambitious plans for Roefield Leisure Centre, Edisford Road, Clitheroe, will see the currently over subscribed gym undergo a complete makeover and the site's mini-gym renovated.

The expansion of the mini-gym will allow the leisure centre, which is run by not-for-profit organisation Ribble Valley Sport and Recreation, to provide more services for teenagers who previously had only limited access.

The mini-gym will be for the use of teenagers and the over 50s specifically.

Centre manager Tony Rodia believes the investment will be a positive thing for the fitness of people in the area.

He said: "The renovation of the mini gym will allow teenagers to use the leisure centre seven-days-a-week.

"At the moment we have about 60 or 70 teenagers coming down on a Saturday evening when we run a session known as Time Out. This is were teenagers can use all of the leisure facilities and socialise with each other.

"To do this I close the centre to the public, but with a seperate area they can come down when they want.

"In terms of the Government's objectives to drive down crime and disorder we are providing a place for youngsters to come and we are tackling the problem obesity at the same time."

The financing of the project comes in the form of a £195,000 grant from Sport England and a further £125,000 from the North West Development Agency. The rest has been provided in the form of low rate loans from Ribble Valley Council and the the Bowland Charitable Trust.

The new fitness suite should be ready by August and include 46 new fitness machines. Work on the mini gym will start after that.

The centre's changing rooms will be renovated and its aerovic rooms will also be expanded. A spinning room, creche and steam room will also be added.