Solar carports are due to be built at two Suffolk leisure centres - to help power the sites with green energy.

The £1.4million project at the Kingfisher Leisure Centre, in Sudbury, and Mid Suffolk Leisure Centre in Stowmarket will also see a number of electric vehicle charging points installed.

Stowmarket Mercury: Charges will be introduced into Babergh District Council car parks from next yearCharges will be introduced into Babergh District Council car parks from next year

Councillor Jessica Fleming, Mid Suffolk District Council’s cabinet member for environment, said it was a "great step forward in reducing the carbon footprint at our leisure centres".

Councillor Elisabeth Malvisi, Babergh District Council’s cabinet member for environment, said it "clearly demonstrates our forward-looking approach for our towns".

The building work is set to start this autumn and is expected to finish by spring 2022.

The new initiative, which benefits from £800,000 of government funding, comes after Babergh District Council has approved the controversial plans to start charging people for parking in its car parks from next year.