A STROUD eating disorder clinic has invested more than £1 million to expand provisions in the Five Valleys.

Althea Park Services, which currently has two residential clinics in Stroudm, has just spent £1 million on a former bed and breakfast in Bussage, Ashley House, to provide a 10-bed centre for adults suffering from disorders such as anorexia nervosa and bulimia.

Ellencroft in Cainscross Road, the organisation's previous adult clinic will now have a revamp worth £250,000 converting it into a six-bed unit for young people to partner Althea Park House in Stratford Road, which has eight-beds.

Martin Davies, the organisation's operational leader, said the Five Valleys was an ideal area for this kind of treatment centre.

"We offer a residential alternative to hospital treatment and there's not really anyone else doing what we do in this area so our centres are almost always full," he said.

"Stroud is an ideal location for us because of it's proximity to the rest of the country. A lot of eating disorder centres are located in cities such as London and Manchester, which makes it difficult to get to from the South West, the Midlands or Wales.

"The rural setting certainly helps too because there's the best of both worlds in that it's close to the countryside but it's also near to city life with Gloucester and Cheltenham in easy reach."

Mr Davies said however the organisation, which also has a centre on Bisley Old Road for people who self-harm, is unlikely to expand further in the district due to a shortage of care workers.

He added: "We provide jobs for around 120 people in the community and soon we'll be launching a major recruitment campaign to take people on. But we can't get enough care workers in this area, so we would be keen to hear from anyone interested."