A climbing centre in North Wales is marking its first birthday by raising vital funds.

The Boathouse Climbing Centre in Llandudno is seeking to raise around £1,700 by holding a climbing competition.

Money raised from the event will help to pay for a public defibrillator which will be located outside the centre.

The centre opened its doors for the first time on February 25 last year with further expansion in May 2019 when the climbing tower opened. It is in the old RNLI station on Lloyd Street in the town.

The centre is the brainchild of couple Andy and Emma-Jane Sutcliffe. Andy used to run the Junction Wall at Llandudno Junction Leisure Centre.

Facilities include a 4.5-metre-high bouldering area with flat walls, overhangs and a roof climb and a climbing wall including double overhang lead walls and top roping systems including 8-metre-high flat walls.

As well as challenging routes for experienced climbers, there is a novice wall for those having a go at climbing for the first time and a human rat run in which people squeeze through a cave system in the centre’s roof space, six metres above the ground.

The centre also boasts a full selection of snacks and drinks and a separate room ideal for children’s parties or meetings.

Andy said:

“We are delighted to be helping to raise vital funds for a new defibrillator and to coincide this with our first birthday.

“We are extremely proud of what we have been able to achieve since opening our doors a year ago.

“It was the culmination of a six-year journey to secure the necessary funding and venue to be able to realise our ambition.

“We are thrilled to have been able to breathe new life into the famous old lifeboat station.”

The Boathouse Climbing Centre was selected by the Welsh Government’s Accelerated Growth Programme as a business it wanted to help support.