Plans for a leisure centre's female-only changing room to be turned into a family area have been ditched after a huge backlash.

As well as scrapping the women's changing rooms at Sale Leisure Centre to introduce the unisex family changing, bosses were going to keep men-only spaces.

The leisure centre tweeted the plans at the weekend, sparking anger among customers and accusations of sexism.

Mum-of-two Rachel Corry retweeted it and said: "Absolutely fuming that Sale Leisure and Trafford Leisure are planning on changing the women’s changing rooms into family changing, while the men get to retain their own men-only space.

"In a time when single-sex spaces for women are under threat from every direction."

Her comment got widespread support, with many saying the plan would amount to sexual discrimination.

Ceri Travers said: "Yet again, women losing their single sex spaces. A valid explanation of why women's changing rooms are going to be 'the family room' and not the men's?"

Another added: "Is that not sex discrimination under the law? Females need privacy and security as much as men do."

Speaking to the M.E.N, Rachel, from Sale, said: "As a parent to an eight-year-old boy I understand the need for family changing spaces, but these should not be at the expense of female-only facilities.

"There is a trend at the moment to make female-only spaces unisex, whilst maintaining male-only spaces - this is ludicrous as it is undoing the protection that women have fought for for years.

"I hope the plans for Sale Leisure Centre will be subject to detailed consultation and will find a solution that addresses both safeguarding of children and the requirement to have single-sex changing facilities."

The leisure centre's tweet, which has since been deleted, stated: "As of Monday 4th March, Sale Leisure Centre are looking to convert our female main changing room into a family changing room.

"This will allow parents/guardians to go into the family changing room with their child, regardless of their age.

"The family changing room will be unisex, with changing cubicles that must be used.

"We will maintain the male changing area for males to use for themselves if they are using the facility without a child but also if men want to take their children in (under 8s for girls) to get changed."

Following the less than favourable reaction to the tweet, Trafford Council leader Andrew Western responded on a local Facebook group, saying 'women only facilities are being retained' and residents will be consulted over any changes.

A spokesman for Trafford Leisure said: “Trafford Leisure would like to clarify that there are no plans to turn the women-only changing rooms into family changing rooms at Sale Leisure Centre.

"The women-only facilities are being retained and we are looking at other options for the family facility.

“The public will be fully consulted on the proposals for family changing before any decisions are made.”

And responding to Rachel on Tuesday afternoon, Liz Patel, councillor for Sale Moor, said: "Just to confirm this decision has been revisited and after discussions with the Council, Sale Leisure centre will be retaining male and female changing facilities and will consult on provision of family changing spaces."