Seedhill Athletics and Fitness Centre in Nelson, Lancashire, has completed a £48,000 revamp of all its athletics facilities.

The project was funded with £20,000 from Sport England’s Community Athletics Refurbishment Programme and £28,006 from Pendle Borough Council.

The work, which began in July this year, included improving the hammer/discuss cage to UK Athletics’ requirements and installing three sets of disabled fittings for the shot and discuss circles to facilitate use by wheelchair athletes; adding new sockets and three sets of disabled fittings for the water jump hurdle; adding four adjustable height steeplechase hurdles and one adjustable height water jump hurdle; cleaning the running track and replacing the existing floodlighting.

Sue Slater, executive manager of operations at Pendle Leisure Trust, which operates the facility, said: “We are delighted that the athletics facilities at Seedhill have been selected for this funding. We are committed to providing sport and leisure facilities to Pendle’s local community and these grants have enabled us to extend our sporting provision.

“Both grants have enabled the addition of disabled fittings as well as the fantastic new floodlights. This has arguably transformed Seedhill into one of the top athletics centres in the north west.”

Stephen Baddeley, Interim Sport England chief executive, said: "We hope this investment of lottery money will make a real difference at both a community and grassroots level for athletics in Pendle. It is an exciting project and one that will benefit a large number of new participants and existing athletes.

“If we are to encourage more people to get involved in sport then facilities need to be of a good standard and safe, so people of all ages feel motivated to return time and again. We are delighted that Pendle has chosen to invest funding to improve athletics facilities in partnership with Sport England and UK Athletics".