WORK has begun at the site of a new 24-hour gym, which is set to open its doors in September.

International fitness chain Jetts Gyms will open its sixth UK location at The Viaduct on Hyndburn Rd, in Accrington with the Australian chain, which also has gyms in the Netherlands, Thailand and New Zealand.

Speaking about the gym, which will be located at the site of the former 1st Bowl bowling alley, general manager Tim Cheng said everybody was ‘really excited’ for the forthcoming opening.

He said: “Having worked at Jetts Stockport for the past year, I know exactly how the gym benefits the local community, whether you are a fitness fanatic or someone who has never set foot in a gym.

“I will be out and about a lot over the next few weeks spreading the word about Jetts’ arrival and letting the public know how we can help them reach their fitness goals.”

Plans for the gym were approved back in December when a proposal for an 4,800sq ft retail unit was also given the green light.

A spokesman for the gym said the company was on a mission to promote more active and healthier lifestyles within the community.

He said: “The aim is to achieve our mission by offering a fitness hub which offers members flexibility over how and when they exercise, with 24-hour security card access for members and no lock-in contracts.

“The gym floor will house some of the latest strength and cardio equipment from Matrix Fitness, as well as a dedicated functional training zone.

“This will host daily 30-minute small group training sessions called j30 box, fit, tone, core and strong.”

Bosses at the gym also revealed that they have started a ‘pre-sale’ period, where the first 100 members can take advantage of a special lifetime membership offer.

Founded in 2007 on Australia’s Gold Coast by husband and wife team Brendon and Cristy Levenson, Jetts Fitness established itself in the Australian market by expanding through a franchise model and now has over 210 sites in Australia alone.

Cllr Tony Dobson, who is a member of the Accrington Town Team said he ‘welcomed’ the international operators move to come into the town, which has suffered withdrawals in recent times.

He said: “It is good for the area that we are attracting these sort of companies and they are looking to invest in the area.”

The site is an empty unit situated between Farm Foods retail unit,and the Vue Cinema on the Viaduct leisure park, close to Accrington Town Centre. The site also features a Dominos Pizza outlet and a McDonald's.