A brand new £3m youth centre has opened its doors in Banbury.

The centre replaces the former Banbury Youth Centre, in Hilton Road, Wood Green, which was demolished last summer.

The single-storey building includes a recording studio, indoor performance hall, music rooms, a pottery kiln, an art room, fitness suite, a workshop and cafe. Outside there is an all-weather sports court.

It has been selected as one of seven hubs for the Early Intervention Service across Oxfordshire which will provide advice on finding work and tackle substance abuse.

Other hubs will be based at Bicester, Witney, Didcot and Abingdon, with two in Oxford.

There are also six satellite centres feeding in to the hubs.

They replace the county’s youth centre network, and a number of former council centres will now be run by volunteers Pictured in the studio are team leaders Helen Kilby, centre, Liane Low, left, and Diane Long.

Banbury town and district and county councillor Kieron Mallon, pictured inset front centre, said the “superb” facility would be a great help to young people.