Longridge centre is saved

Trustees of Longridge boating centre are cracking open the champagne today after securing a massive commercial loan to complete the purchase of the site.

It has been a long hard battle for the trustees to raise the £1.5million Longridge needed to buy the freehold of the Quarry Wood Road site.

It was launched after the Scout Association pulled out of the site which put it at risk of being snapped up by developers.

While it will still take between 10 and 20 years to pay off the £800,000 loan agreed by The Royal Bank of Scotland, this cash boost has secured the site for the trustees to move forward with ambitious redevelopment plans to bring the site into the 21st century.

Amanda Foister, campaign coordinator, said: "We are extremely grateful to everyone that has helped us buy the site but ask that you see this as a reprieve as we continue to need lots of help with fundraising and volunteer support to transform our facilities and pay off the large debt."

She added: "The best way the community can support us is by using the site. If we can pay back the loan from operational profits then we won't need to fundraise."