HASLINGDEN looks set to get a state-of-the-art fitness centre.

Rossendale Council is expected to back Rossendale Leisure Trust's £1.2m investment plans for a new health and fitness suite at Haslingden Sports Centre and is considering options for millions of pounds of new investment in leisure facilities elsewhere in the borough.

The investment would fund a modern lifestyle centre at the Helmshore Road centre with a 59-station health and fitness gym, aerobics studio and combat room.

Norman Hauserman, chairman of Rossendale Leisure Trust said: "This is the news the trust and its partners have been waiting for.

"Rossendale deserves good facilities and the council should be congratulated on this facility improvement agenda."

Improvements elsewhere in the borough could include better football and athletics facilities at Marl Pits in Rawtentstall and the development of cultural and/or health focused community activities at Bacup Leisure Hall .

Another possible measure would be the relocation of Haslingden swimming pool at a cost of up to £2million The proposals are the result of an extensive report on leisure facilities in the borough carried out by consultants PMP for the council.

The report identifies a range of options and the cost implications for each.

These options have now been published in a white paper' which members will consider at a meeting of the council on Wednesday.

Rossendale Council said it is keen to see an increase in physical activity amongst residents in the borough - recent surveys have shown that only 21.4 per cent of people in Rossendale take regular exercise three times a week.

Coun Darryl Smith said: "Providing good leisure opportunities for local people will help to get more people active.

"This is crucial if we are to achieve improved health and wellbeing for residents.

"Our white paper sets out a range of exciting options to improve leisure facilities in the borough.

"Obviously we can't fund everything that we want to but I believe that what we are proposing will make a big difference over the next few years."