The first swimmers have dived into the pool at Huddersfield’s new leisure centre.

The facility, said to have cost £36m, officially opened at 5.30am today and among the first to test it out were the KAL performance swimmers.

It was officially opened by Mayor of Kirklees, Clr Ken Smith, and mayoress Christine Smith, who both had a gentle workout in the fitness suite while wearing the mayoral chains.

Clr Smith said: “I am delighted to be one of the first people to look around our fantastic new Huddersfield Leisure Centre and to able to mark the opening of this new facility by cutting a ceremonial ribbon.

“I would personally like to thank everyone involved in making it happen, including Kirklees Council and Kirklees Active Leisure staff and partners.

“I am sure that it will help improve the health and wellbeing of many people, as well as providing a fun day out for families from Kirklees and beyond.”

Mohammad Jhanger, of Thornton Lodge, and his children, Fatimah Iman, seven, and Ibrahim Hassan, 11, both pupils at Rastrick Independent School, were the first visitors.

Mohammad said: “They loved it, said it was really nice and good and exciting to see it. They are keen to go back after school.”

The final cost is yet to be confirmed, but Kirklees estimate it to be around £36m. The leisure centre replaced the Southgate sports centre, which closed last week. It was intended to be razed to make way for a Tesco superstore, but the supermarket giant is no longer building a store on the site and its future remains unclear.