A DOUBLE-decker bus has been fitted with exercise equipment to create Britain’s first ‘mobile gym’.

Residents will no longer have to walk to the gym because the state-of-the-art kit will be driven around Blackburn and Darwen on demand, complete with a qualified fitness instructor.

The borough of Blackburn with Darwen has some of the worst health statistics in the country, and the charity behind the scheme said it would help people who would not usually use a gym to lose weight and become more active.

Blackburn with Darwen Healthy Living, based in Bangor Street Comm-unity Centre, works to improve the health of people living in deprived communities.

Chairman Abdul Mulla said: “We want to develop a service that people can use, regardless of where they live.”

The mobile gym will be launched in March. Its upper deck will be set aside as a ‘kitchen area’, offering advice on issues like healthy eating and cooking, and food labelling.

Each of the borough’s five Neighbour-hood Board committees, which hand council cash to community groups, will be asked to pay for a number of two-hour gym sessions for their area.

For example, three two-hour sessions a week for 48 weeks will cost £16,000.

Michael Law-Riding, the council’s executive member for leisure and culture, said: “Novel ideas like this are always welcome and I very much hope it’s a success.

"If they can make an impact in some of the hard-to-reach areas, it’s great.

"There is a real need for expert advice and training.

"For many people it’s about having the confidence to get out and exercise, and this will make it easier for them.”