A COMMUNITY hub is set for a £250,000 upgrade to modernise the building which was bought for just £1.

In September, Clayton Civic Hall was sold to Hyndburn Leisure Trust by the borough council for a quid.

Now the trust has secured £250,000 in grants to refurbish a modernise the 1960s building in Clayton-le-Moors, to create a state-of-the-art sports and community hub.

The cash came from Sport England, Lancashire Environment Fund, and the Community Ownership Fund.

Hyndburn Leisure’s chief executive Lyndsey Sims now hopes the investment will help make it the heartbeat of the local community.

It is already home to Clayton Amateur Boxing Club and the trust is now looking at what can be achieved in phase two of the revamp.

Ms Sims said: “Hyndburn Leisure’s sole goal is to improve lives and wellbeing in our local community.

"Securing this new funding means we can make real change happen for Clayton-le-Moors, to help people get healthier, come together, and feel connected to their community.”

She announced that Hyndburn Leisure is establishing a ‘Friends of Clayton Community Centre’ group, and are looking for candidates to join its board including a chairperson.

This will allow the centre to apply for a broader range of funding opportunities in the future helping guarantee its success.

The trust also recruiting local volunteers to get involved with activities and services and give feedback and suggestions.

John Brindle, head coach and secretary of Clayton Amateur Boxing Club, said: “Our relocation to Clayton Community Centre not only means that we can help more people, but that we can also expand our offering - including encouraging more girls and women to get involved with our programmes.

"Through investing in high-quality equipment, we’ll also be able to provide opportunities for young people and adults with disabilities or additional needs.”

The investment is part of Hyndburn's Leisure Transformation Scheme, which will see over £13.98 million injected into improving leisure facilities across the whole borough.

In Clayton-le-Moors, local people will have access to a number of new and refurbished spaces.

Clayton Community Centre is currently offering low hire rates for people looking to book a venue for a community session, club activity or corporate event.