THE new year has brought a change of leadership for two Hambleton leisure centres.

Stokesley's Paula Ferguson has moved 16 miles south to take over at the Northallerton centre, which she helped create 15 years ago.

Replacing her at Stokesley is Mike Readman, a trampoline coach at the Hambleton Leisure Centre, in Northallerton, who also used to be assistant manager there and at his new base.

Mr Readman's life in leisure began as a lifeguard in South Wales, a job he also did at the old council pool in Bullamoor Road, Northallerton.

For the past five years, he has been managing leisure facilities for Tees Valley Leisure.

Ms Ferguson has been with the district council for 18 years, starting out as head pool attendant at Stokesley.

Promotion to assistant manager followed and it was while in that post that she moved to Northallerton to be part of the management team that oversaw commissioning of the new pool and sports hall.

She returned to Stokesley, in 1993, as manager and has seen the facility grow in popularity since then.