PLANS to save four North-East leisure centres threatened with closure emerged yesterday - offering hope to hundreds of campaigners battling to keep them open.

Spectrum Leisure and Management (Slam) is in talks to operate four of the six leisure centres which Durham County Council is considering shutting to save £1.3m a year.

Slam hopes to operate centres in Ferryhill, Coxhoe, Sherburn and Pity Me as well as providing alternative facilities in Crook, where Glenholme Leisure Centre could close.

The community development trust - which already runs the thriving Spectrum Leisure Centre in Willington - ruled out Deerness Leisure Centre at Ushaw Moor, the sixth centre facing closure.

Ian Hirst, chief executive of Slam, told The Northern Echo that its board of trustees has registered an expression of interest with the county council but stressed it was early days.

"The board has had a meeting in respect of the four leisure centres and has indicated that it is interested in taking them on as a third party operator," he said.

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