AN 'exercise on prescription' programme has paid for the conversion of a former store room at Alder Grange High School, Rawtenstall, into a fitness suite with six pieces of equipment including a treadmill, exercise bike, step machine and rowing machine.

And the school's community co-ordinator Stephen Hall is hoping the development will be a stepping stone for the school to achieve its aim of a sports hall.

He said: "The school and community association has submitted a bid to the National Lottery to develop a sports hall and we are hoping to hear something back within a month.

"If we get the go-ahead then we look forward with working in co-operation with other schools like Fearns which is a dual use."

The programme involves patients of local GPs being given a prescription to exercise, rather than just a prescription for pills.

It operates through the NHS with Fearns and Haslingden Sports Centre. Anyone prescribed exercise will be able to make use of the new facility at Alder Grange for just £1.

The community office was set up at the school nearly 11 years ago as one of six experimental projects throughout the county funded by Lancashire County Council's youth and community service.

The idea was to allow anyone in the community the chance to get better value from the local school by opening it on evenings, weekends and during holidays.