Mansfield gym criticised after disabled man is no longer able to use the equipment

Brenon Coates, was severely injured in a horrific car crash in 2012 which left him paralysed down one side.

Brenon, 24 had been training with his physiotherapist at the Rebecca Adlington gym but found recently that the equipment he uses was no longer suitable for him.

When Brenon, of Jenkins Avenue returned this week he found the facilities couldn’t accommodate his wheelchair.

His mum Kirsty said: “Brenon went on Monday with his physiotherapist and found the hand-bike seats which used to move had been changed and couldn’t accommodate his wheelchair.

“Now they are all fixed in position.

“There is nowhere else he can go to in Mansfield and he feels this is setting him back on his recovery.”

Brenon was left in a coma for five months following the crash in 2012.

He was paralysed down his right hand side and following physiotherapy he has now regained the use of his right arm.

Kirsty added: “It’s not just Brenon - there are other disabled people who won’t be able to use the machines.

“At one point there were two gyms he could use in Mansfield but now there aren’t any.”

Coun Phil Shields Portfolio Holder for the Environment at Mansfield District Council, said: “We are aware there is a problem and have had several complaints about the gym equipment. We have asked for an independent review of disabled facilities around the district, not just the Rebecca Adlington Gym.”

He said the report by Disability Nottingham shire was expected to be completed soon.

Brian Taylor, Chair of Mansfield District Leisure Trust, said: “We’re very sorry for the difficulties Brenon has experienced with our gym equipment.

“We recently replaced the majority of the gym equipment with new, higher quality kit that can be adjusted to individual users – disabled and non-disabled – to provide better exercise results.

“We also have a dual action pulley which is specifically designed for wheelchair users that can be adjusted to fit any wheelchair and provides more than 200 different exercises.

“The hand-bike referred to is the same piece of equipment that was available previously.

“We have given our staff additional disability training to help them adapt the equipment to specific disability needs. We would like to invite Brenon and his physiotherapist to join us at the gym so that we can work together to find the best way to adapt the equipment to his requirements.”