The David Lloyd Leisure (DLL) health club in Warrington opened a facility exclusively for children over the May bank holiday weekend.

The new kids’ facility features a gym and an activity area and offers classes such as group cycling, circuit training and group combat as well as a SmartBall Sportwall.

The Sportwall, imported from the US, is a huge interactive wall where children have to simultaneously track a ball, targets, sounds and scores and has been designed to give a full body workout.

The facility, for kids aged three to 15, can cater for up to 48 children per hour and all activities will be free to junior members or children of existing members.

The area has been converted from space formerly used for conferences and the gym will boast nine pieces of resistance equipment and nine pieces of CV equipment supplied by Precept.

David Lloyd Warrington general manager, Jennie Miles, said: “We are all aware of the growing problem of childhood obesity and introducing children to regular sporting activity or exercise is vital from an early age.

“There is no quick fix so we have to be sure it is done in a fun and safe environment where children will enjoy themselves and will want to return regularly.”

Although DLL clubs have been offering children’s High 5 classes for some time, the Warrington kids gym concept is a first for DLL and will act as a pilot scheme.

If it proves popular, the concept could be rolled out to other DLL clubs. Details: www.davidlloydleisure.co.uk