STATE of the art gym equipment is in place at Settle Health Centre thanks to a massive £10,000 fundraising effort.

Patients can now test out their recovering limbs and muscles on four pieces of equipment under the guidance of physiotherapists.

Converted from a bathroom, the rehabilitation gym cost £20,000 in total and offers a running machine, rowing machine, exercise bike and the jewel in the gym's crown - a cutting edge pulley system trainer which is linked to a computer providing biofeedback on how a patient's muscles are working or not working.

The trainer is one of just eight in the country.

With £10,000 granted by Airedale NHS Trust for the conversion of the room, locals matched the sum with a series of fundraising efforts. Rallying to the cause they tackled everything from a sponsored aerobathon to a wheelchair push up Penyghent, as well as walks, tea dances, concerts and coffee mornings.

A variety of organisations, including Settle Rotary Club and the town's Social Club, backed the appeal and collecting boxes were placed at Townhead and Bentham Surgeries.

The inspiration for the gym came from superintendent physiotherapist Paul Lethebee. He was keen to see services on offer at Skipton General and Airedale hospitals available to Settle patients so they would not have to travel great distances for care.

He said: "The health centre in Settle aims to provide as many services as possible locally.

"In order to try and improve the variety of treatment we can offer a gym was high on our list of priorities. The reason why the fundraising has gone so well is people were raising money locally because they knew it would be spent and used locally. People have been very, very generous and the 50p and one pounds have been just as important as the larger donations."

Fellow Settle physio Jon Northrop said: "People took the idea and went away and did it with a year of fundraising. Now we can offer active physiotherapy combined with an exercise facility. It is a great advantage for the health centre to have this service."

The gym will be officially opened by Dr Eric Ward on Thursday August 16 and anyone who has been involved in the project is invited along to look at the new gym during an open afternoon held from 3pm to 7pm.