A £400,000 appeal to extend facilities at Pipers Vale Gymnastics Centre in Ipswich has received a £125,000 boost from housebuilder, Bellway.

The company has donated the proceeds from the sale of a brand new two-bedroom house to the gymnastic centre’s appeal.

Under an agreement between Ipswich Borough Council and the housebuilder, Bellway built the property on land provided free by the council.

The remainder of the funding for the centre is expected to come from Active England, Sports and Arts Sponsorship, the Suffolk Coastal District Council and Suffolk County Council.

Since the gym first opened in 1999, membership has risen from 400 to 1,500 people.

John Stebbings, project manager for Ipswich Borough Council, said: “This was a unique way to raise additional funding for the Gymnastics Centre, with a lasting community facility created by the relationship between Bellway and the council.”

Mick Doyle, director of the gymnastics centre, added: “Bellway and the council have come up trumps for us. They have made this wonderful offer to help us with the fundraising appeal and we can’t thank them enough. It’s fantastic that a company such as this is helping us so much with this community project.”