MEMBERS of a junior cycling club brushed up on their skills to help brighten up a park pavilion.

The Blackburn-based Young Weavers group, whose base is at Witton Park’s pavilion, lent a hand in painting the exterior of the building.

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Members joined volunteers from Blackburn with Darwen Council yesterday to varnish and paint parts of the thriving pavilion which were looking a little tired.

Tember Walsh, of Witton Cycling Club, organised the makeover event.

She said: “We had around 18 youngsters here to help the volunteers and they all mucked in.

“The cycling club storage and office takes up part of the building and that was painted when we moved in 18 months ago but the rest of the pavilion was not, so it looks a bit of a mismatch.

“The club had a ride-out in the morning and then helped for a while working on the outside of the pavilion.

“It is going to take a few more sessions to complete but when finished it should look a lot more tidy. It is great to see so many families outside and being active.”

The pavilion at Witton Park has seen an upsurge in usage recently, with an increase in visitors. Takings at the cafe this summer are double what they were in 2014.

Part of that is attributed to the various cycling and fitness events centred on the park such as the three-times-a-week pedal-around-the-park events and the couch-to-5k group.

Of the Young Weavers group, Ms Walsh said: “The club aims to encourage families and individuals to become more involved in outdoor activities together.

“As well as cycling we organise countryside walks ranging between five and ten miles through the year.”

For more about the group, see theyoungweavers.co.uk.