PLANS to create a sporting centre of excellence for the region's youngsters have been announced.
Work is about to start to transform the former play barns at Dobwalls Adventure Park, near Liskeard, into a multi-use sports facility which, it is hoped, will encourage and develop Cornwall's gymnastic and trampolining talent to regional and national standards.
When opened in September, the site will become East Cornwall's first specialist gymnastics and trampolining centre.
There are also plans to incorporate a wider range of sports into the venue over the coming months to make it a facility offering a range of activities for people of all ages and abilities, or as a site useful for existing clubs requiring an indoor training centre.
The centre's head coach, Mo Gregory, said: 'Initially we will be launching the centre as the East Cornwall Gazelles' School of Gymnastics and Trampolining, providing facilities for all and with qualified British Gymnastics coaches.
'We will be offering structured classes, with gym tots and fun bounce progressing on to pre-school, recreational, development and competitive levels.
'Additionally, we plan to provide a wealth of other sports, such as indoor wall scrambling, tumbling, five-a-side football, badminton, aerobics, yoga, sports acrobatics, and agility classes, such is the flexibility of the centre.' The centre's facilities, including full-size sprung floor, asymmetric bars, parallel bars, beams, a vaulting table, mini gym and pre-school equipment, will all be available for youngsters to use, as well as two half-sized trampolines, full-size competition trampolines with a safety harness and a matted training area.