AMBITIOUS plans have been put forward for a fitness park on Bournemouth beach.

Bourne Awesome hopes members of the public will back its appeal for a grant to make the idea a reality.

The organisation hopes the park can be built at the bottom of Toft Steps, between Bournemouth and Boscombe piers.

It will include a trim trail, horizontal and parallel bars, monkey bars and a street fitness unit.

The idea was the brainchild of fitness enthusiast Oliver Clough.

He said: “I have spoken to the council about the idea and they are really enthusiastic. I am lucky enough to have travelled a lot and I’ve seen these parks being used around the world in places like Bondi Beach.

“I love fitness and what it does for the community. We need more things like this for the community because mental and physical wellbeing is so important.”

Now Bourne Awesome is asking the public to back its appeal for some funding from the Aviva Community Fund. It hopes to win between £10,000 and £25,000.

The park would be free to use.

A spokesman for Bourne Awesome added: “We believe that access to fitness equipment should be a right and not a privilege. When the people of our community vote, they’ll be helping each other to ensure this becomes a reality.”

Andrew Emery, Bournemouth council’s Resort Development and Strategic Planning Manager, said: “Bournemouth Tourism have been working with Oliver Clough and the Bourne Awesome Community Interest Company around the development of these proposals for a beach fitness park for some time.

“The tourism team have been assisting with the design specification, identifying a suitable location and potential funding opportunities.

“All credit to Oliver and Bourne Awesome for getting proposals to this stage and we look forward to working with them to deliver the scheme should the community bid be successful – and we very much hope that people will vote for it.”

Go to avivacommunityfund.co.uk/voting/project/view/4-3031