The Vale of Glamorgan Council in south Wales is investing £300,000 to upgrade and extend the gym facilities at Barry Leisure Centre.

Two new areas will be created at the centre's LifeStyle gym, providing a cycling suite and a room equipped with fitness stations aimed at women, children and older people. Additional Technogym machines will also be supplied as part of the project, while the new cycling suite will be equipped with 'Trixter' bikes, which replicate the experience of outdoor cycling through the use of virtual technology.

'Easyline' equipment will be fitted in the other new fitness room. The council's Lifestyle operations manager, Jonathan Rogers, said: "The new room will allow users to train on a mixture of hydraulic machines, steps and stretching machines that will offer people an all-over-body workout and improve their cardiovascular fitness. "These machines are designed to allow people to exercise, regardless of their physical strength or abilities."

The council's cabinet member for leisure and tourism, Anthony Ernest, said: "This extension demonstrates how we are committed to providing even more opportunities for people in the Vale of Glamorgan to get fit and have fun at their local leisure centres." Work is expected to be completed by the end of December, and the gym will remain open throughout the project.