AROUND 50 budding boxers have been forced to train on the streets after their gym was shut down due to health and safety reasons.

Boxing trainer Brian Roche said he was fuming with Lancashire Fire and Rescue and the council after being served with a closure order at Roche Amateur Boxing Club, at Newtown Mill in Queen's Lancashire Way, Burnley.

Grapevine Gym, which has been based at Newtown Mill for 28 years, was also closed for on the same health and safety grounds.

Fire officers walked into their boxing gym last week and ordered children aged between eight and 18 years-old as well as their trainers to exit the building as soon as possible.

Despite seven years of successful health and safety checks, the gym was told it needs a new interior fire wall and fire escape before it can open again.

Mr Roche, commended for Sporting Excellence at the Best of Burnley Awards last year, said: “At the moment I have just under 50 kids sparring and training outside.

“We have literally been thrown out onto the streets and its completely out of the blue.

“I agree with health and safety and with the fire report, but why haven’t they mentioned this before?

“And they did not even give us a period of days or weeks to get ourselves sorted, they wanted us out there and then.

“We don’t make any money at the club, its all about keeping the kids off the streets and some of them are really good boxers now. It’s a real mess.”

No-one from Grapevine Gym was available for comment.

A spokesman from Lancashire Fire and Rescue said the gyms had been issued with a restriction notice and could not be used as gyms until a number of fire regulations were met.