A community gym in Thamesmead will continue to fight for survival after it was served a court order forcing it off its current premises.

Crossway Gymnastics Centre has been based in Arch 11 in Byron Close for the last 26 years, and offers over 100 children and adults from the local community around 300 hours of classes a week.

The gym - which is run by volunteers - also provides special classes for people with disabilities and behavioural issues.

It launched the career of weightlifter Zoe Smith - who became the first Englishwoman to win a Commonwealth Games weightlifting medal when she won bronze in 2010.

Last Friday Crossway was served with a possession order by Trust Thamesmead, which provided the gym with a 30-year lease when it first opened, and plans to open another gym with operator Active Sports Gym in its place.

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Conservative Prospective Parliamentary Candidate Anna Firth (right) joins volunteers and children

It is claimed the replacement gym will only offer a limited number of classes by comparison, and will not provide any classes for disabled members of the community.

Crossway will appeal the decision in court.

Lisa Muirhead, 35, volunteers at the gym while her two children, Chloe, 12, and Molly, nine, also attend classes there.

She told News Shopper: "It is the world to them. They do 20 hours plus a week. 

"They feel at home, they are always laughing and joking.

"They feel like part of a family when they are there."

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Owner Tony Nell (centre) with volunteers and children who use the centre

She added: "It is very cheap and affordable. It is very accessible to a lot of the parents in the community.

"They are getting children off the streets, giving them confidence. 

"The gym was built for the community. Peabody and Trust Thamesmead are supposedly all for the community but this isn't helping the community."

Owner Tony Nell, who set up the gym, said: "This has been my life for the last 26 years.

"I have been working at this gym between 50 and 70 hours a week for the last 26 years.

"How would you feel if they came and took that away from you?

"The children are upset, the parents and the coaches (are upset)."

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Both Labour and Conservative Prospective Parliamentary Candidates, Teresa Peace and Anna Firth, have been helping Crossway with their ongoing struggle.

Trust Thamesmead’s head of business development Richard Fishlock said: "Trust Thamesmead’s primary concern is gaining access to the arch so we are able to undertake the urgent and necessary works to make it health and safety compliant.

"We want to keep any closure to a minimum and are in discussions with a potential new provider to offer high quality gymnastics accommodating all current user groups as well as potential new users."