Nottingham City Council has launched a new virtual gym in an effort to tackle childhood obesity.

Called Swat Rock, the new interactive facility at Clifton Leisure Centre enables children to play computer games while keeping fit.

Swat Rock will include a multi player dance system with eight dance mats; four ‘exer-stations’, with users playing computer games with a controller that works based on body movements, rather than just thumbs; two sports walls offering hundreds of game combinations.

John Wileman, head of sport and leisure services said: ”Swat Rock is the first facility of its kind in the city and we hope it will become a key driver in getting more people, particularly children, to be more active more often.

“With around 30 per cent of UK children now considered to be overweight, this issue is a concern in Clifton which has a high percentage of obese children in the city.”

The Swat Rock initiative has been funded by the Transformation Programme which invests in the repair and redevelopment of Nottingham City Council’s leisure centres and Clifton Children’s Centre.