BLACKBURN is to get a new £300,000 state-of-the-art trampolining complex which will create 60 jobs.

The investment at the Soccer Dome in Haslingden Road, which will see five indoor five-a-side football pitches taken over, has delighted council bosses but dismayed local junior soccer league organisers.

Oxygen Freejumping, the UK chain of trampoline parks, has announced plans to open at the site in the summer.

To accommodate the development, five of the dome's 11 indoor pitches will close.

The move is included in a new partnership with the five-a-side football operator, Lucozade Powerleague, involving Oxygen launching five new sites within its soccer domes, including Blackburn.

The 35,000 square foot site, described as 'the ultimate trampoline park playground', will provide more than 150 interconnected trampolines, dodgeball courts, airbags, club-level trampolines, and Ninja Warrior obstacle courses.

Visitors, who are expected to come from right across East Lancashire, will also be able to learn freerunning on special courses designed by the founder of freerunning and James Bond villain, Sebastien Foucan.

Blackburn with Darwen leisure boss Damian Talbot said: "This is a great development and hopefully will attract more young people into sport and fitness activity.

"When we had young people into the Town Hall on 'takeover day' in November, several asked why we did not have this type of trampoline park in Blackburn when there was one Preston.

"This is exactly what they and the council want to encourage young people into sport."

Borough regeneration boss Phil Riley said: "This is another major investment by a commercial firm in Blackburn.

"It complements our existing sports facilities like the ice rink, Blackburn Rovers and our leisure centres."

But local junior football leagues which use the pitches at the Soccer Dome were unhappy.

Darwen resident Craig Wilkinson, secretary of the 150-team East Lancashire Football Alliance said: "I am disappointed.

"It means we will have to look for alternative provision for our teams of young players next season."

And Alan Greenwood, youth officer for the Accrington and District Junior Football League said: "I am annoyed.

"It means our under seven and under-eight teams will probably have nowhere to play in the winter.

"It will hit a lot of local soccer teams and leagues, especially for juniors."

The new be venue will be available for birthday parties, gymnastics training and learning parkour, which is similar to freerunning.

There will be toddler sessions and evenings with strobe-lit bouncing, dodgeball games and an obstacle course.

Oxygen Freejumping chief executive David Stalker said: “We are delighted to be coming to Blackburn, and we’re looking forward to helping locals discover the fun of freejumping.

"Freejumping is easy to do but impossible to master.

“Our designs are done, plans are in place, and building starts soon."

Last weekend Blackburn Rovers Community Trust announced plans for a new floodlit 3G sports pitch at Ewood Park as the first part of an upgrade of public facilities at the Darwen End including improving its existing indoor five-a-side pitches and changing rooms.

Blackburn with Darwen Sports Council chairman John Flannery said: "This is good news. I want see as wide a variety of sport for residents, especially ones attractive to young people, as possible."

Borough Tory group leader Mike Lee said: "I welcome this new trampolining park but am concerned it comes as the expense of existing, well-used five-a-side soccer pitches."

The new Haslingden Road trampolining venue follows the success of the first two Oxygen sites in Acton, West London, and Southampton.

It will be open from 8am to10pm Monday to Saturday and 8am to 9pm on Sundays.