A COMMUNITY computer centre, dubbed the area's best-kept secret, has been relaunched after a makeover.

Whale Hill Community Centre at Eston spent £25,000 to re-equip and refurbish its ten-year-old ICT suite.

The project has provided the community with 13 "all-in-one" PCs, including one with wireless capability and another with a keyboard and screen designed for use by disabled people, and all with internet access.

The computers were supplied and installed by technicians from Alpha Lan Systems, a company which specialises in educational IT and which has equipped similar centres for South Bank Tomorrow and the South Tees Skills Centre, at Grangetown.

Project Manager Stella Pate said: "The IT centre is Whale Hill's best-kept secret. The community centre has had a computer suite for a decade or more, but it's amazing how many people simply aren't aware it is here."

About 60 people a week use the IT facilities.

Courses are run to help people develop their computer skills and make them more attractive to potential employers. They range from basic computer skills and the European Computer Driving Licence to the university certificate in personal development, an IT-based course run by the University of Teesside.

At the centre there are also courses in Spanish and geneology.

Olwyn Peters, community association chairwoman, said: "It is fantastic to have this kind of facility in our centre. Our doors are open to anyone who wants to learn and, hopefully, the newly installed computers will encourage this."