GYMNASTICS classes are facing the axe to finance Colchester Council ’s other leisure facilities.

Parents whose children attend the lessons at Colchester’s Leisure World were told this week they could be in jeopardy.

The council has told instructors they have 30 days to prove the three, weekly classes are financially viable.

The news comes as detailed plans were revealed of how Colchester’s Leisure World will be transformed under a £1.2million revamp.

Kelly Birchmore, whose daughter Charlie, nine, attends the classes said she is disgusted.

She said: “My daughter attends every Monday. She has been going for a month now and it has made a fantastic difference to her confidence.

“There are other gymnasiums, but the waiting lists are huge. My daughter is on the waiting list for another and we were told she would not get in until April next year – if she is lucky.

“Closing the Leisure World classes would mean an increase in waiting lists.

“We try to encourage children to join clubs, be fit and healthy and follow their dreams.

“This is a completely stupid idea. Why not stop adult classes like zumba or aerobics?”

Miss Birchmore, 30, of Mill Road, Colchester, said news of the leisure centre revamp compounded her anger.

The facelift at the building in Cowdray Avenue includes extending the leisure centre’s gym and spinning area, and redesigning the reception area with self-service kiosks. It is part of the council’s leisure service review, which was agreed in March.

The aim is to improve services and facilities to generate more income for the council.

It has not clear whether cutting classes had been factored into that budget.

Two instructors ran the gymnastics classes and Miss Birchmore said she understood their jobs could be lost.

She plans to start a petition to save the classes and said she has also contacted Colchester’s MP Sir Bob Russell , with her concerns.

A Colchester Council spokesman said: “We are reviewing our gymnastics classes and are in the process of consulting with staff.

“As part of our changes we have been reviewing activities to decide which we will run in the future.

“Demand for the gym is high, so we have decided to improve the facility by increasing its size and investing in new equipment.

“This means we have had to examine the activities that take place in the space the gym will expand into.

“We will not know the results of this process until the consultation is complete.

“These changes are part of our overall plan to make Leisure World a more cost-effective, efficient service.”