A major promotion was launched today to get more people fighting the flab at Southend Council leisure centres.

The new package has been brought in less than two weeks after Glendale Leisure took over management of the council's five sports centres.

The Worcestershire-based firm was picked last September for the job after Government competition rules demanded a private firm took on the role.

Business development director Paul Cluett said the Select Card easy-payment plan offered more options to fitness fans.

He said: "Most people run their lives with direct debits and now you can do that with leisure. An important thing is that we are not changing the existing prices. If you want to pay for just one swim, you can carry on doing that."

Nick Harris, Southend Council's assistant director of leisure services, said: "This broadens the scope for people to have access to a wider range of activities." A total of 60,000 leaflets will be distributed throughout the borough to publicise the promotion.

For the first time, sports enthusiasts will pay a monthly, direct-debit payment which gives them unlimited access to all five council-owned leisure centres.

People have been able to pay for monthly access to individual sites in the past.

However, someone wanting to use a gym and have a swim on the old scheme was limited to using either the Warriors Swim Centre or Shoebury Leisure Centre.

Now Select Card holders can go to the Chase Sports and Fitness Centre, take a dip at Belfairs Swim Centre and practise their serve at the Southend Leisure and Tennis Centre all in the same week.

Prices range from less than £3.30 a week to just under £12.70 a week covering peak and off-peak times

Converted for the new archive on 19 November 2001. Some images and formatting may have been lost in the conversion.