GYMNASTS in Yate are flying high after their club finally found a new home.

Members of King Edmund Acro Gymnastics Club are thrilled after winning planning permission to convert a warehouse on Armstrong Way into their new training facilities.

The club, which has 600 members ranging from pre-school children to sixth form students, has taken over a 10-year lease of the former TL Visuals printing offices at Armstrong Court.

Club manager Mark Thorne said: "It has been a long-haul process but we are finally there and this will secure the club’s future.

"It is not right that our kids did not have the proper training facilities."

The gym club recently took bronze at the World Games in Taiwan but there had been fears standards would drop if a new home could not be found.

"My wife Nikki, who is head coach, was becoming increasingly frustrated that other clubs across the country were catching us up standard wise because we did not have our own building," said Mr Thorne.

"Acro gymnastics needs very limited equipment as all we require is some floor space so it is very popular as it can easily be taught in schools."

The club had previously been based at King Edmund Community School but fears had grown that the school’s new academy status would mean gymnasts could no longer train on the site. Other premises had been used during the club’s five-year search for a new home but none has had enough height for members to practice acrobatic tricks in the air.

The club was set up by Mrs Thorne’s father, Tony Wills, 34 years ago. In 1994, Mr Wills launched a similar search to find a new home in Yate but without success.

Northavon MP Steve Webb, who has supported the club’s latest bid to find a new base, said: "I think this is excellent news. The club is a huge asset to the community and with these improved facilities it should go from strength to strength."

South Gloucestershire Council has approved plans to build a toilet and ancillary block as well as several changing areas at the industrial unit.

Building work is expected to start as soon as possible. Mr Thorne said he owed thanks to Yate Town Council and former town mayor Cllr Mike Robbins for their help with the search to find a new home.