First look inside brand new Dudley leisure centre

Boasting an array of facilities, it's an exciting new arrival for the Black Country, featuring state-of-the-art equipment.

At the heart of the centre is the 25 metre swimming pool with eight lanes, meanwhile a teaching pool with spectator area will provide support for anyone taking their first plunge into the water.

There's also a four-court sports hall suitable for badminton and indoor football.

But the real star of the show is the immersive cycle studio - the first in the Black Country.

Immersive cycling provides a digitally-created world for cyclists, giving them the power to ride through any environment in the world, or beyond.

Instead of staring at the numbers steadily going up on a screen, participants could be transported to beaches, jungles, or far-away lands, although it's yet to be revealed exactly which digital utopias you could be taken to.

There's also a 100-station gym and two exercise studios.

Dudley Council is running an offer of a 12-month membership for the price of 10 - at £320 or 90p a day. For more information call 01384 812800.

The new leisure centre is part of a £1 billion investment in the town which includes a new Midland Metro extension, very light rail innovation centre, and a university campus.

Councillor Simon Phipps, cabinet member responsible for leisure centres, said: “This is a once in a generation development, in fact, I wasn’t even born the last time we built a leisure centre in the borough.

“In that respect it really is a state of the art complex boasting some of the most advanced training facilities out there.

“I’m a member of our leisure centres and I have to say the facilities on offer are some of the most impressive I’ve ever seen in both the public and private sector.”