DISABLED gym-goers will be able to benefit from an innovative piece of kit indefinitely thanks to successful trials at two gyms in Bolton.

The Invictus Active Trainer acts as a treadmill for wheelchairs and during February was trialled at Leverhulme Park Leisure Centre and Horwich Leisure Centre.

William Donnelly, a fitness instructor at Leverhulme Park Leisure Centre in Long Lane said: "We're keeping them because we had a few regulars coming in and they were being well used.

"We have four or five regulars that come and use them."

One of the regulars to Leverhulme Park is Stephen Hardman who discovered the Invictus Trainers after searching online for something he could use at the gym beyond a hand cycle.

He then approached the Bolton leisure team about setting up a trial, which they were more than happy to help with.

Mr Hardman wanted to take part in the group spin classes and the Invictus Trainer allows him and other wheelchair users the ability to do just that.

A small ramp lets a person get their wheels into place on a set of rollers, allowing them to push in place.

Mr Donnelly said: "We always set people up on them and give them tips to make it easier and harder so they can challenge themselves."

The trainer at Leverhulme Park has been set up in the spin class room alongside fixed bikes to create an integrated gym experience.

The spin classes are carried out using an upbeat video trainer who coaches the room through a series of workouts using bikes or now, wheelchairs.

The Invictus Active Trainer is designed to be easily adjustable to take any wheelchair with any size or camber of wheels.

Rollers allow the wheels to move but offer more resistance so the wheels must be continually pushed.

The trainer has been featured on Channel 4's The Superhumans Show in 2016 and forms the basis of the Wheely Good Fitness Wheel-Spin workout DVD.