Celeb guest Kelvin Fletcher to appear as gym reopens with £400k rebuild after horrendous suspected arson

Strictly Come Dancing champion and former Emmerdale star Kelvin Fletcher will be a special guest as a gym destroyed by an arson attack five weeks ago reopens tomorrow (Saturday, February 26).

He will be among local celebrities turning up at the Unit Fitness Saddleworth in the Saddleworth village of Delph.

Owner Ben Bamforth has invested more than £400,000 in rebuilding the gym in Gatehead Mill on Delph New Road, which was torched two days before it was due to open in January.

READ MORE:Dramatic CCTV shows moment new gym is engulfed by flames in suspected arson attack days before opening

The arsonists were caught on CCTV but so far police have been unable to make any arrests.

Ben, 32, a father-of-one and who with wife Harriet is expecting a second child soon, told how the attack left him 'a bit of a broken man'.

"The insurance cover was due to kick in two days after the fire," he told the Manchester Evening News. "So in essence, I've had to find £400,000.

"The fire alarms were due to be fitted on the day the attackers struck. It was a bit of a crazy time.

"I'm so chuffed Kelvin's coming. He's a great lad and he's from Oldham, so it should be a great day."

However, Ben, himself a former personal trainer, said he has been 'blown away' by the kindness of local people in Delph, particularly one local electrician, who refused to take any money for the work he carried out on the gym.

"I never even thought about not trying to reopen," said upbeat Ben. "The quote for the initial clean-up was £60,000, but we managed to get that down to £35,000 by hiring the equipment and doing it ourselves.

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