HAMBLETON Leisure Centre is gearing up for a massive transformation when the Royal Shakespeare Company brings its touring production of The Tempest to Northallerton next week.

The sports hall is to become a theatre for seven sell-out performances. "It's a massive undertaking," said centre manager Mr Richard Dowson. "The RSC crew and leisure centre staff will construct the auditorium from 47 tonnes of equipment, which arrives in five articulated lorries, in just 24 hours."

"Unfortunately we can't run our normal activities during this visit, but we are making arrangements which we hope will ease the inconvenience to our regular customers."

The centre will close on Monday and re-open at 1pm on Sunday, April 1. In the meantime, Lifestyle fitness studio members can use the facilities at other district council leisure centres in Bedale, Thirsk and Stokesley.

Silver, platinum and gold members will also be entered into a prize draw to win six months' free silver or platinum membership, and when the centre re-opens, silver members will each get a free sauna, while platinum and gold members can have a free fitness assessment.

TWO Northallerton college students have produced an environment pack which is so good that it is being adopted by Darlington Borough Council.

Zoe Davies and Angela Hutchison have set out an action plan for householders as part of a millennium volunteers' project. It contains simple tips on how residents can prevent waste and save energy in their everyday life. Monday's meeting of Darlington environment forum was given a preview.

The pack will include something for children and adults, and the council intents to insert bus timetables and a water-saving hippo bag.

But Mr Bill Westland, environmental health offficer, said it would not be going through every letterbox in the town.

"To avoid waste, we want it to go to the people who will use it. It costs about £1 to produce, so that alone precludes it going to every household."

A contact point will be printed in the authority's public magazine, The Town Crier, and it will be available to anyone who wants one.