'A GREAT deal of hard work' has seen Camelford Leisure Centre turn around a £170,000 deficit since Cornwall Council withdrew its funding two years ago.

In 2012 after two years of talks, the council handed over the leisure centre to be managed by a team from the local community — Camelford Leisure Centre Ltd — and the centre is now almost breaking even.

The chair of the Camelford Leisure Centre executive directors, Simon Swale, said: "A great deal of hard work has been put in by a large number of residents since the campaign to save the Camelford Leisure Centre was started four years ago.

"It is hard to single out individuals for fear of missing someone's key contribution, but the original steering group put three people forward as the founder directors, Jonathan Holt, Robert Rush and Judy Gidzewicz, and they produced the initial business plan, which was approved by Cornwall Council and released a significant grant to ensure the fabric of the centre could be maintained and the infrastructure could be improved."

Liberal Democrat Cornwall Councillor for Camelford Rob Rotchell, who chaired the steering group, said he has kept in touch with the leisure centre and described the message he had received that the forecast is for the centre to break even as 'great news'.

For the full report, and a round-up of the area news and sport, see this week's edition of the Post.