GYMS have been put on alert after a fitness centre used by sporting celebrities was hit by a gang of locker raiders.

The Next Generation Club, off Blackburn Road, Wheelton, had eight lockers broken into on three separate occasions in December and victims of the thefts included a senior Lancashire policeman.

The club is also used by Blackburn's four times World Superbike champion Carl Fogarty, Blackburn Rovers players and England and Lancashire cricketer Andrew Flintoff.

Items stolen in the incidents, which happened on Monday, December 29, and in the days up to Christmas, included credit cards, clothing, car keys and a blue Ford Mondeo car registration MT51 OVH.

Police have now warned other clubs to tighten up security as a gang, understood to be from Bolton, is targeting gyms throughout the area.

Det Sgt Ray Sherlock said gyms in the Bolton area targeted by locker-crackers in November had been offered security advice, stopping any further raids.

Detectives are now investigating links between those offences and the Wheelton thefts.

Next Generation manager, Chris Rinder, said that the club was taking steps to improve security, including a new locker system.

It is believed the criminals could be using free day passes to gain access, although Mr Rinder admitted they could also be fully paid-up members.

He said: "We have a ten-point plan to improve locker security, and security within the building in general, and we have taken advice from the police."

DC Kev Scanlan, of Wheelton CID, said: "You can purchase day passes to get into the club and they may have used one. There is also some CCTV footage which we are going through."