SPORT fanatics across Wyre Forest look set to foot the bill for rocketing energy prices at a Kidderminster leisure centre.

Huge hikes in gas, electricity and water bills over the past year have added costs to the running of the Forest Glades Leisure Centre in Bromsgrove Street.

So far, the rises have been absorbed by Wyre Forest District Council or its management contractors.

However, the manager of the Forest Glades, Stuart Booton, fears that would not be sustainable in the long-term and there would be future price increases.

In the last year, at the Glades, gas, electricity and water bills have increased by more than £40,000.

Those rises have been in addition to increases in 2004/05 and the prospect of future increases in 2006/07.

The leisure centre is not the only establishment to be affected by the huge price increases.

According to the Local Government Association, energy costs have added massive costs of more than £54 million to the 3,000 sites with pools across the country.

In light of those figures, councils, business leaders and sports organisations have written to the Government asking that action be taken to look at how the funding gap can be filled.

Mr Booton said: "We are not alone in being concerned about escalating energy costs. All leisure facility providers are facing the same soaring running costs.

"Increases have, generally, been absorbed by the local authorities or their management contractors and have not been passed on to the general public in the form of large price increases. Unfortunately, this situation is not sustainable in the long term.

"We will, of course, keep any price increases for our leisure facilities to the minimum as we want to encourage people to come along and keep fit, have a swim and continue to enjoy the wider facilities on offer," he added.