Secretary of state for Culture, Media and Sport Ben Bradshaw has hailed Gloucester's GL1 leisure centre an example to the rest of the country following its success in introducing the government's free swimming scheme.

More than 10,000 people have signed up for the initiative in Gloucester since free swimming for under-16s and over 60s was launched six months ago.

More than half of the new swimmers had not used the GL1 leisure centre previously.

Visiting the centre last week, Bradshaw said: "I am very impressed with how successful this has been in Gloucester, there have been nearly 30,000 free swims already in just the first six months of the scheme.

"It has seen the number of 16-year-olds swimming treble, with half of them having never used the centre before. People have really taken the opportunity to keep active and healthy."

The scheme has also successfully reached some of the city's most deprived areas, with 64 per cent of eligible under-16s in the Westgate ward registering to swim.

"When you think some of the most serious public health problems come from these communities, what has been achieved here in Gloucester should be used as an example for the rest of the country," said Bradshaw.

GL1 is managed by Aspire Sports and Cultural Trust, which received £138,000 in government funding to launch free swimming at the facility.

Steve Elway, chief executive of the trust, said: "We want to make sure this is not just about swimming and the statistics show we are making a real difference in keeping people active through their whole lifestyle."

Photograph courtesy of Gloucestershire Media: Parmjit Dhanda, MP for Gloucester and Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, Ben Bradshaw