IN his day he made strikers quake with fear…But legendary Chelsea hard man Ron “Chopper” Harris was all smiles when he visited Swaffham to see a long-time friend and take part in the launch of a state-of-the-art fitness club in the town.

IN his day he made strikers quake with fear…

But legendary Chelsea hard man Ron “Chopper” Harris was all smiles when he visited Swaffham to see a long-time friend and take part in the launch of a state-of-the-art fitness club in the town.

The Joint Effort Health and Fitness Salon in Swaffham has just been extended to provide more facilities for able-bodied and disabled fitness die-hards and owner Paul Sandford was there to greet his guests.

“This centre has been running since 1999 and we have very loyal members who enjoy coming here,” he said at the official launch on Saturday.

“Ron [Harris] is one of my boyhood idols and a long-time friend and he kindly agreed to pay us a visit, travelling from Christchurch near Southampton to Norfolk just for this special occasion.

“The club in Swaffham as well as the one we have in Dereham offer tailor-made programmes for everyone and they are run by professionally qualified instructors. We pride ourselves on providing the personal touch to exercise, offering many different levels of training whether you want to lose pounds, inches or just get fit.”

The new extension which includes more fitness equipment as well as four shower cubicles and a traditional sauna will be used by people suffering from cardiovascular diseases, multiple sclerosis or ME (chronic fatigue syndrome) as well as healthy members.

“It's a pleasure coming here, and I find it very good that people are interested in staying fit and healthy,” Mr Harris said.

“It's very important for people to bear that in mind. I don't play football any more. Occasionally I kick the ball with my grandsons, but I do golf and a lot of walking which keeps me fit,” he added.

For more information on joining the club, call 01760722122