Hundreds of people looking to get back into education and training will benefit from an injection of funding into four centres.

They will share £817,000 -- composed of £584,000 from the Learning and Skills Council and £233,000 from Oxfordshire County Council.

The money will fund the new buildings and improvements at Blackbird Leys Library; the Oxford School in Union Street, Cowley; the East Street Centre in Grimsbury, Banbury; and at Thameside School in Abingdon.

The centres will have a two-year target of reaching 1,000 learners, with projects ranging from introductory activities to longer courses.

Sarah Rusby, head of adult learning at the local LSC, said: "Oxfordshire is often overlooked for such types of funding as the county is frequently viewed as prosperous."

Mari Prichard, the county council's head of adult and community learning, said: "This funding gives us our first chance for many years to build classrooms, creches and staff working space."