Thomas, 4, to help mark £800k work

A four-year-old boy will help cut the ribbon and officially open the refurbished Crystal Leisure Centre, Stourbridge.

Thomas Gardner, who has physical disabilities and uses the centre, has been invited to unveil the new look complex on January 26. The centre had £800,000 of improvements to start the New Year.

A new gym, worth £500,000, has state-of-the-art interactive cardio and resistance machines, a specialised spin studio with Trixster bikes, punch bags, free weights and specialised data keys which let members follow their own fitness programme and record progress. The Dudley Council facility has a new reception area as well as modifications to allow easier access for people with disabilities. Maintenance work to the poolside and other areas has been completed.

To mark the completion of the work the centre is holding an official opening event at noon. Staff from the centre held a fundraiser in 2007 to help with Thomas' medical and mobility equipment costs. His family, who live in Wollaston, all use the centre regularly.

People have also been welcomed back to Dudley Leisure Centre which reopened after the latest phase of a major revamp. The facility opened earlier this month after almost three weeks of improvement work.

Work was carried out to ensure the centre caters for disabled users. New signs have been installed and alterations have been made to toilets and changing rooms. It is the latest stage of work at the site in Wellington Road since a refurbishment programme started last April aimed at bringing the centre up to scratch.

Other improvements include a modernised gym and reception area. Centre manager Meg Dowen said the venue was looking much smarter and more up-to-date.

She added that a GP referral programme where overweight patients are referred to the centre was also getting off the ground.