A MOTHER and son team from Devizes have followed their dream to open up a fitness centre in their home town.

Mary Bentley, 46, and her son Adam, 26, of Coombe Walk, decided to combine their love for fitness with their family life and opened Bentley’s Fitness in Unit 7 of the Hopton Estate on Monday, promising to cater to people of all ages.

Miss Bentley said: “I have been teaching fitness for 25 years. I have lived in Devizes for 15 years after moving down from the north. We decided to do it together as we both love fitness and I have always wanted to own my own place. The people here in Wiltshire are amazing. Since I have been teaching it has had a very good atmosphere, people have made friends.

“It has been a bit of a rollercoaster ride. I used to care for my mum until she died and when the kids left I went through a divorce and I started to do a lot of teaching and fitness training. When my son said he wanted to get into it we decided to go for it. He also said that I wasn’t getting any younger.”

Mr Bentley was a member of the Royal Marines for six years, and turned down an earlier offer to move into fitness training as he did not want to move away from his friends or family.

“Fitness has been my passion since I was in the Marines," he said. "One of my friends left to open a gym. He invited me to come with him but I decided I wanted to stay closer to my family and school friends." "I think the idea of helping people get fit is really good. If people want to just come along and see what it’s about or come and join they are more than welcome,” said Mr Bentley.

Miss Bentley will continue to teach a variety of classes from Zumba to Boogie Bounce on trampets, cardio to body conditioning.

“I know it sounds clichéd but everyone does have a great time and like I said, the atmosphere is just fantastic. I have even had ladies come in and help me paint, which has just been so lovely,” added Miss Bentley.

For more information on classes, membership prices and more visit www.bentleysfitness.co.uk.