More than 1000 people who refuse to take disease and disability lying down have been given a new lease of life by a scheme aimed at treating ailments with physical activity.

Patients who are overweight or suffer from complaints ranging from asthma to arthritis have been taking to gyms and swimming pools across Charnwood and the whole of Leicestershire courtesy of the Active Lifestyle Exercise Referral Scheme.

The eight-year-old scheme, a partnership between the Health Authority, local councils and health care professionals, has been relaunched with new protocols and extra resources paid for in part by sponsorship from AstraZeneca R&D Charnwood, Loughborough's medicines research company.

It offers people whose doctors reckon they would benefit from a more active lifestyle the opportunity to sign up to a planned exercise programme under the guidance of qualified exercise professionals at a specially reduced rate.

And, whether they have taken part in gentle exercise in a fitness centre with cardiovascular equipment, worked out to music, or taken the plunge into aqua-aerobics, the treatment has been given the thumbs up by medical professionals and patients alike.

County Scheme co-ordinator Rachel Reynolds said research shows that regular exercise helps to reduce the likelihood and even delay the onset of disease or disability and the scheme aims to encourage and support those at risk. She said: "Most areas have the scheme but Leicestershire and the City of Leicester have one of the most active and most developed schemes."

Many local GPs are already involved and their patients are reaping the benefits.

AstraZeneca's Gill Hilsdon said: "This is a first-class scheme which helps those who are at risk of a variety of health conditions to lead a healthier lifestyle and that means less chance of illness or disease and we are only too happy to support it."

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