A ladies-only gym chain which was founded in Staffordshire 16 years ago is celebrating the launch of its 50th centre.
Gymophobics has opened a new facility in Kettering, Northamptonshire.
The milestone franchise will join a host of other centres located across the country - including Stoke-on-Trent, Telford, Tamworth and Halesowen.
Louise Williams, Gymophobics' financial director, said: "We're absolutely delighted to reach this milestone, and it's testament to the hard work of each of the centres.
"Our franchise start-up costs are some of the lowest in the industry, and it's a great opportunity for women with an interest in female health, fitness and wellbeing to be able to own their own gym.
"We've also very recently opened a new centre in Sudbury and look forward to expanding our operations into new areas of the country."
Donna Hubbard, who founded the gym chain with her husband Richard in Lichfield in 2003, said: "Our franchisees do a fantastic job of maintaining our brand ethos and encapsulating the community feel within the centres.
"The Resisted Tension programme that our centres use is quite different from conventional workouts, and we're passionate about encouraging our ladies to feel comfortable when they're working out.
"In terms of job satisfaction, it's hard to think of another business that comes close."
The Gymophobics' national training headquarters is based in Stafford. It offers specialised training to more than 100 gym instructors every year.
