After two months of campaigning, a Ravensbury man has reason to celebrate after a "discriminatory decision" to go cashless at the Morden Leisure Centre was overturned.

When the centre was first opened late last year, those looking to pay the old-fashioned way were found wanting as operators Greenwich Leisure Limited looked to create a "21st century experience."

This angered Mark Gale who argued the borough's youngest and oldest residents were on occasion being turned away as a result.

"If you have been in a queue at an automated self-service till, you may have seen one or two tills that the coin sorter is broken, so only accepting cards," he said.

"In Morden, Lidl or Sainsburys I’ve witnessed many people queue jump as only the 'cards only' till are free.

"While for the supermarkets it just means a few minutes longer in the queue, for the swimming pool, gym or cafe at the new leisure centre it means exclusion from the facilities."

A month ago GLL deemed the ongoing cashless pilot to be "operating successfully."

Despite this the company said that as a "short term solution" it would introduce a till located at the cafe where people would be able to purchase a gift card.

"Customers who arrive at Morden Leisure Centre with only cash will be able to purchase a GLL Gift Card from the Café to use to pay for activities," a GLL spokesman said.

"It is GLL’s aim to introduce the cash terminal by the end of 2019. It is imperative that the solution is tested and meets the requirements of GLL and our customers."

As of July 4, the gift cards were available to buy, with Mr Gale sharing the hope that a permanent solution can be put in place by the end of 2019.

"The USA Independence Day will be remembered by local residents as Merton’s Independence Day as children can now pay and use the facilities without adult supervision," he added.

"I am hoping that a long time solution will be installed by the end of the year, being a cash vending machine that will add top-up to the card allowing for out of hour entry after the cafe closes for the day."