THE first students have started to pour through the doors of a £60m seat of learning.

The York College, which will ultimately cater for 13,000 students from across the region, opened its doors to students yesterday.

The college has taken nearly two years to build and has the latest teaching and learning facilities, including a theatre, training restaurant, hair and beauty spa and nail bar and sports pitches.

It also boasts a travel agency, engineering and construction workshops, art and design studios and a learning centre on three floors equipped with the latest technology.

Principal Mike Galloway said: "After more than six years of planning, it is enormously gratifying to see this outstanding new building at last in place and being used by the students for whom it was intended.

"I am confident that it will enable us to do an even better job with the very diverse group of learners we serve, now and into the future and that it will play a key role in ensuring York's future economic competitiveness."

The building, in Sim Balk Lane, replaces an old facility which is expected to make way for housing.