OLYMPIC swimmer Nick Gillingham has saluted an isolated upland village which has rallied around to set up its own community gym.

Mr Gillingham, who won Olympic silver in the 1988 games, opened a £15,000 community fitness facility in St John's Chapel's town hall, in Upper Weardale, County Durham.

St John's Chapel, which only has a population of a few hundred, has signed up to a scheme which allows local people to benefit from the latest fitness equipment.

It is part of a scheme to give people unrivalled access to local fitness facilities as part of wider efforts to improve health and fitness in the area.

Villagers will have to pay back the £15,000 cost within the year, but are confident they can do it.

The facility in St John's Chapel is only the second of a string of gymnasiums being set up in the wake of the successful Wellness On Wheels (Wow! ) mobile gym initiative.

Last year, the £1m mobile gym began touring Wear Valley.

The project has been visited by thousands people since it began operating.

But a permanent legacy needed to be left behind.

It is hoped that over the next three years 12 fitness suites will be opened across the Wear Valley.

The first, Bishop Auckland College, opened earlier this month and two more, at Wolsingham School and Parkside School, in Willington, will open shortly.

At a ceremony to open the new suite at St John's Chapel yesterday, Mr Gillingham said: "Statistics are saying the next generation will not live as long as this generation. We must do everything we can to encourage people to lead more healthy lifestyles."

Wow! Is backed by Wear Valley council, Durham Dales Primary Care Trust Sport England, The Northern Echo, Northumbrian Water, Technogym and the Leader Plus fund.