‘TIRED’ facilities at a Great Harwood leisure centre are set to to receive a facelift after vital funding was secured.

The swimming pool hall at Mercer Hall Leisure Centre, in Queen Street, will be refurbished using National Lottery funding worth £56,190.

A new ceiling will be installed, tiling in the pool will be patched up, and the hall will be given a fresh lick of paint.

Improvement work on the roof has already started, with all the work due for completion by the end of next March.

The work will require the pool to close, although further details are not yet available, health and leisure officer Ben Caulfield said.

Leisure boss at Hyndburn Council, Coun Ken Moss, who is also the local councillor for Rishton, said: “It makes it sound like it’s in a terrible condition but it’s just knocking on.

“It needs modernising here and there. Any little bits and pieces we get are all welcome, and this is a fair chunk of money.”

The money was granted by Sport England, which has invested £10 million in 148 projects across the country as part of the latest round of its Inspired Facilities Fund.

The money is designed to convert existing buildings into venues that are more suitable for grassroots sport.

Sport England’s property director, Charles Johnston, said: “This funding creates a long-lasting impact for many grassroots clubs and projects. We are looking forward to seeing these facility improvements make a huge difference to their local communities, and to help more people to play sport.”

Mercer Hall Leisure Centre was converted from a former dance hall in 1967.