ADVENTURE company Cumulus Outdoors has secured the lease for the old Townsend Centre in Swanage and is renovating the centre.

The Townsend Centre was originally established in 1929 by Bournemouth Rotary to cater for deprived young boys from inner London and over the years it developed into a leading outdoor education facility, catering for groups of different sizes and backgrounds.

Cumulus Outdoors managing director Sam Thompson said: "This provides a really exciting opportunity for the business to be able to now offer both tented villages plus hard-top accommodation for school and youth adventure residential trips for the 2020 season and beyond.

"Classroom facilities at the centre will encourage the inclusion of more educational elements within the residential programmes as we continue to work alongside our educational partners.

"Being centrally located means we can also more easily add local excursions to our programmes, with visits to attractions and areas of interest throughout the Isle of Purbeck."

The Cumulus Outdoors Residential Centre will accommodate approximately 100 students and teachers in three dormitories set in six acres of grounds.

There are catering facilities on-site including a dedicated dining area plus facilities for a variety of adventure activities with space for both outdoor and indoor recreation.

This completely self-contained site will also become the company head office.