FOCUS groups are being set up across the Valley to ensure leisure provision matches what residents want.

Customers will be put in the driving seat at Haslingden Baths, Bacup Leisure Hall, Ski Rossendale and Marl Pits, in a bid by Pendle Leisure Trust to ensure services meet demand.

Management of Rossendale Council's leisure facilities was handed to Pendle Leisure Trust on an interim basis.

Michael Hunt, interim area manager for Rossendale, said: "We asked regular customers at Haslingden Sports Centre what they thought of leisure provision -- but we took care to ensure that not-so-regular customers were invited, too.

"One issue that arose was inadequate provision for people already using the centre. They asked for both an increase in the number of variety of professionally run courses, as they felt there was a lack of coaching at the grassroots.

"We will now look at areas where our programme can be developed, as people should be able to participate in a wide variety of sports.

"The days when the council could just give people what we thought they should want are long gone."