A LEISURE firm is investing £800,000 to create the town's first trampoline park – and aims to have visitors jumping for joy within two months.

The Star revealed last week how an industrial area on 4 St Michaels Road, Sutton Manor will be transformed into the leisure facility after the go-ahead was given to the proposals which were submitted in December.

The Air Factory is expected to be open by Easter.

Management say they anticipate the park will create 45 full-time jobs and up to 80 positions in total, with the park to include a jumping area and 'Ninja warrior course' among its facilities.

The premises will be open at 9am to 10pm from Monday to Thursday and on Sundays, and from 9am to 11pm on Saturdays.

The 2,000 square metre site, a former warehouse unit on the Lea Green industrial estate, has been vacant since March 2014.

Jason Zhang, of Air Factory Leisure, said: "We have invested about £800,000 for this park in St Helens.

"Hopefully it will be a great success and it is a new project for the area.

"It will be suitable for adults and children and we want to work with the local schools. We thought that in St Helens there wasn't a professional place to bring the whole family.

"Some parks are just suitable for children but ours will be for them and adults so all the family can stay together."

The planning application submitted to the council, said: "Air Factory Leisure Ltd is a new trampoline park operator who aim to provide the best indoor activity arena to patrons of all ages, creating a fun, safe environment in which to exercise, socialise and gain new trampolining skills."

It also added the park is proposed to be "the biggest arena in the St Helens area" and "will provide children and adults of all ages the potential to partake in trampolining sessions either in a free play session or in designated classes".

It also said a major feature of Air Factory would be to "provide a unique environment in which to have classes, a party or even team building exercises".