A TEMPORARY testing facility for Coronavirus will be opening at Marl Pits Leisure Centre on Newchurch Road in Rawtenstall for this weekend.

Testing will be taking place from Saturday until Monday.

The Lancashire Resilience Forum wants people to be aware that appointments are required to attend and people must not just turn up. Organised by the Department of Health and Social Care, working with the armed forces, the site can accommodate hundreds of people per day.

Tests can be booked the night before, from around 8pm. Tests can be arranged through the Government’s coronavirus testing webpage, which also includes details of eligibility for testing.

Dr Sakthi Karunanithi, director of public health for Lancashire, said: “We know that this situation is a difficult time for people. Through testing we can understand more about the scale of this situation and help us to bring normal life back again, once it’s appropriate to do so. Mobile testing sites helps us to prioritise certain areas, by adding additional capacity for a short time where it will have the most benefit. By testing essential workers and their families if they’re showing symptoms, we can keep vital services running at this time and protect the essential workers themselves.”

Other testing sites are already in operation at Preston College and Royal Blackburn Hospital.

Neil Shaw, chief executive of Rossendale Borough Council, said: “Ensuring key workers and their families who are showing symptoms can be tested is vital in responding to this virus. We are pleased we have been able to facilitate this for the Lancashire Resilience Forum and hope those eligible book and get tested.”