Cheshire East Council is to provide a new home for the region's special needs and disabled athletes in Crewe.

The nationally-recognised Cheshire Academy of Integrated Sport and Arts is to move from Macon Way to the former Broad Street School premises within the next six months - providing it with improved facilities and a brighter future.

The academy has operated at the council-owned premises on Macon Way in Crewe since 1993, but now it is estimated that around £300,000 worth of investment would be needed to bring the building up to standard.

Instead the centre will move and, once the Broad Street venue is adapted, will become a community hub with five specific zones – including a health and fitness/wellbeing area where many different sports for children and young adults with and without disabilities can be developed.

Sports offered will include rhythmic and artistic gymnastics, sports acrobatics, team gym and even cheerleading. The venue will be fully wheelchair accessible and will allow local schools to participate in fully integrated class activities.

Special activity classes are to be run for young children with disabilities aged 18 months and over to help with their development, balance and coordination.

Iain Chalmers, co-founder of the Cheshire Academy of Integrated Sport and Arts, said: "These improved facilities will mean that we can now raise our game even more and put Cheshire East firmly on the map for sports."

For more information on the new home for the centre, click here.