A GYM in Darlington is people the chance to work out for free and experience for themselves the positive effects exercise can have on their mental health.

Xercise4Less is offering a five-day pass in honour of World Mental Health Day, which takes place on Wednesday.

The awareness day follows Mental Health Awareness Week in May and the World Health Organisation has revealed its objective for this year’s World Mental Health Day is to primarily focus on young people and those in the early years of adulthood.

Over the last decade almost five times as many students have disclosed a mental health condition to their university compared with 10 years ago.

David Goodchild, regional manager at Xercise4Less, said: “The physical benefits of exercise are well-known, but World Mental Health Day is the perfect opportunity to shine a light on the positive effects exercise has on our fitness and our mental wellbeing.

"We want to encourage everyone to get active to help manage the stresses at work and in our personal lives.”