Abingdon's showpiece £10m leisure centre was forced to close six indoor tennis courts after cracks appeared in the playing surface.

The centre, which recently celebrated its first anniversary, closed the courts for five days while the cause of the cracks was investigated.

They were all re-opened on May 30 after the centre's managers ruled out any serious structural problems.

John Lees, maintenance manager at the Vale of White Horse Leisure and Tennis Centre in Audlett Drive, said: "It was a settlement crack caused by expansion, which is not uncommon in new buildings.

"The acrylic surface cracked but the concrete foundations were unaffected.

"We had to close in order to replace a strip about 12in wide across the six indoor courts."

The assistant director of leisure at the Vale of White Horse District Council, Nick Garnett, said: "Some cracks appeared in expansion joints between the courts, and repairs have been carried out.

"The cracks were part of a normal expansion process. They were snags you get in buildings after a period of settling down.

"They did not affect the playing courts and no-one was at risk."

The closure delivered a double blow for tennis players, as charges to play on the indoor courts at peak times have recently been raised to £14.

The centre attracted more than one million customers during its first year of operation.

The Vale of White Horse District Council pumped more than £6m into the project, with money also coming from the National Lottery and Lawn Tennis Association.