SUMMER cost-cutting shutdowns at a sports centre in a deprived Blackburn ward have been criticised by community leaders.

Audley Sports Centre, run by Blackburn with Darwen Council, will be closed during weekends in June, July and August.

The announcement comes on the back of the council cutting access for swimmers at Shadsworth Swimming Pool during the week.

The council made the cuts in March amid claims the pool was losing £200,000 a year, but faced a public outcry at the decision.

Now Councillor Yusuf Jan-Virmani has said the centre should not be shut during the summer when children are on the streets and the risk of crime and disorder grew.

Audley Sports Centre provides indoor and outdoor facilities for the community in what was cited in a survey three years ago as the 34th most deprived ward in the whole country and the most deprived in Blackburn.

Steve Rigby, director of culture leisure and sport at the council said that the closures have been happening for four years and at the height of summer the use of the facility was "non-existent."

Coun Jan-Virmani said: "I am not in favour of the closures at all.

"The summer is when you really need centres such as this kept open as it keeps children off the streets.

"I know that centre is heavily used."

Coun Jan-Virmani said he would be working to see if staff from Audley Community Centre could use the sports facilities for the community when it was closed.

He said: "I will be asking for the community centre to work with the council and keep the sports facilities open."

And Yaqoob Hussain, a member of Audley and Queens' Park Community Association, said: "People are into leisure and healthy exercise during summer.

"You would have thought it would be the other way round. However, you would have to decide if it should be open."

Staff at Audley, which has a well-used full-size sports hall and gym facilities, are moved to other centres in Blackburn and Darwen during the closures.

Steve Rigby, director of culture leisure and sport at the council said: "Audley sports centre has been closed at weekends for the last four years in the summer months of June, July and August.

"The leisure centre is exceptionally well used during the week, however in the height of summer attendances are almost non-existent at weekends.

"Therefore a committee decision was made to close the centre unless special events such as all day coaching courses or weddings are booked.

"We apologise to our customers for any inconvenience caused and wish to inform them that there are gym and other dry sports facilities available at Shadsworth Leisure Centre, the Regency fitness studio in the town centre and Darwen Leisure Centre."