FITNESS equipment at two leisure centres in Burnley and Padiham is to be updated at a cost of £60,000 following an increase in the number of complaints about the quality of leisure services.

Fitness facilities at Burnley's Thompson Centre were updated at a cost of £50,000 two years ago, but equipment at Padiham Leisure Centre and the Gannow Pool and Fitness Centre have been allowed to deteriorate.

Council bosses say the difference in standards of the equipment at the three centres is a matter that needs to be addressed urgently.

Plans to spend £60,000 on upgrading the exercise machines at the two centres and buying two new pieces of equipment for the Thompson Centre were due to be discussed at last night's meeting of Burnley Borough Council's Executive at the Town Hall.

Burnley Borough Council's head of leisure, Karen Bradford, said: "We are receiving a high number of customer comments about the difference in standards of service provision throughout our facilities and there is a need to replace the cardio-vascular equipment as a matter of urgency at Gannow Pool and Fitness Centre and Padiham Leisure Centre.

"Once this work has been undertaken, the fitness suites at all the sites will be up to date, pleasant and well-maintained facilities, attracting a wide spectrum of customers."

The work is likely to be carried out in the next few months.