LEISURE centre staff are celebrating after it climbed into the top two per cent of a national league table.
Hambleton Leisure Centre, in Northallerton, has become the highest rated in North Yorkshire with its score of 87 per cent in the national quality award scheme, Quest.
It has moved from "highly commended" to being rated "excellent".
The scheme sees audits taken in 1,000 leisure centres across the UK every two years.
At Hambleton, assessors said they saw strong evidence of teamwork among staff and praised the centre’s programme of activities.
Centre manager Paula Ferguson said: "This new rating puts Hambleton 16th in the league table of those leisure centres – with a five per cent rise in the mark on the last audit.
"It showed our high performance in a number of areas and highlights the commitment of all the staff who strive to continually improve the service we provide."
The leisure centre – on the edge of the market town – includes a swimming pool, sports hall, gym and floodlit pitch.
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