Plas Madoc Leisure Centre reopens as Splash Magic

A Wrexham leisure centre has been reopened by the volunteers who saved it from the bulldozers.

Plas Madoc Leisure Centre was earmarked for demolition when the council agreed to shut it in April, saying it could not afford to update the facilities.

But residents vowed to take it on.

And after setting up a trust to run the centre in Acrefair, they set about overhauling facilities ready for Saturday's official reopening of the new-look Splash Magic.

Wrexham councillors and other politicians helped residents to save the centre, blocking a planned demolition order.

People held hands around the leisure centre in January in a show of unity

Ready for customers... the leisure centre reopens on Saturday

Meanwhile, residents set up their own group to manage the facilities which include a pool and gym.

The council then agreed to offer financial help so the not-for-profit organisation's plans could come to fruition.

Trust chairman Darrell Wright said: "There's been a lot of blood, sweat and tears gone into this over the past few months."

He thanked students from Coleg Cambria, saying they had been a "huge help" as a lot of clean-up work had been needed due to the length of time the building had been shut.