Construction company Mansell is flying high after clinching a major contract to design and build a new physical and recreational training centre at RAF Brize Norton, writes David Duffy.

The new 660,000 centre at the Oxfordshire airfield will be built by Mansell's Western Region office in Cheltenham.

Regional marketing director of Mansell, Paul Thatcher, said the company was delighted to be associated with the prestigious project.

Mr Thatcher said: "We have done a great deal of work for the Royal Air Force, having worked at pretty well every RAF base in the country, and we are pleased that we are able to continue the partnership by building this new centre."

The start of work at the site was marked by a ground-breaking ceremony attended by senior RAF officers and Mansell directors.