Calne mayor Howard Marshall is hoping to get the town fighting fit when the boxing club he masterminded opens next month.

Mr Marshall, 64, of Quemerford, announced the formation of the club at his mayor-making ceremony in May and is delighted that the project has taken off.

He said: “We initially started talking to the Amateur Boxing Association in January and it has taken until now to get it up and running. I think that is quite an achievement.

“We know there is a huge amount of interest in Calne.

“Boys and girls have shown an interest, from children aged nine right the way up really, and when I was at the youth council the feeling there was that all the boys in the upper class at John Bentley were really keen.

“We think this is going to be really big.“ Mr Marshall has arranged for six potential coaches, including a female, to start a training course in October, while the club will be overseen from September by people who have been trained.

“We have had funding from Sport England and Community First, so from now until the opening we will spend our time buying equipment,” he said. “It’s all systems go.

“For the first six to 12 months it will be non-contact.

“But once people get into the training and get fit, if they then decide that they want to go to the contact side of the sport we will purchase a ring and those people will be allowed to move into it.”

The club will aim to give people in Calne a different way of getting fit, while learning a new skill Mr Marshall said it would encourage self discipline, self respect and respect for others.

“The main idea is to provide somewhere for the youngsters to go, to get them off the street.

“I am hoping to get involved myself, but I am saying that tongue in cheek.

“With two false knees it won’t be easy, but I intend to be there and take part in the keep fit side of things.”

Boxing, which begins in September, will take place twice a week at the Beversbrook Sports Facility.

Anyone interested in joining can register their interest at the Bank House information centre in The Strand, or call (01249) 814000