A gym designed for young people opens this week at Bath Sports and Leisure Centre.

Branded Active Zone, the facility will target eight- to 15-year-olds with a mix of high-tech equipment, funky music and enthusiastic instructors.

Up to 60 children can use the gym, which includes dance mats with interactive screens, X-box games operated by body movements and Zig Zag UK’s Sportwall, a large interactive wall which children throw balls at to hit flashing lights.

The centre also offers an eight-station gym with CV and resistance kit, as well as exercise classes and activities such yoga, pilates, Kung Fu, street dance and team games.

Aquaterra Leisure, the trust which runs the leisure centre, has invested more than £100,000 in the project, while Bath & North East Somerset Council contributed £20,000.

Tim Ridley, Aquaterra Leisure’s contract manager, said the aim of Active Zone is to encourage active lifestyles among youngsters.

“It will help them to pick up good habits from an early age and also offers a new way to get active for those young people who aren’t interested in traditional team sports such as football or basketball,” he said.

Use of the gym costs £2.79 per week with pay as you go options available. Aquaterra Leisure says it may roll the concept out to other sites it manages in the future.