A HOLIDAY centre to give adults with learning difficulties a short break was opened yesterday.

The £1m Hawthorn House, in Newton Hall, Durham City, has been designed to have a "hotel feel", and can cater for up to eight adults at a time.

The Durham County Council-run centre, opened by Councillor Mamie Simmons, allows visitors to stay for up to a week and replaces a Sixties' centre in Pity Me.

The bedrooms have televisions and DVD players, while four have overhead tracking to allow guests with severe physical disabilities to be hoisted directly into an en-suite bathroom.

There is a sensory therapy room, a courtyard garden, lounge, a separate two-bed emergency unit where clients can stay for up to 72 hours and overnight accommodation for staff.

Hawthorn House support manager Linda Turnbull said: "We had a clear vision of what we wanted the centre to be and the emphasis was very much on the idea of a hotel. People have heard of respite for families, but this is about offering a holiday to the client.

"Short break centre in this context wasn't a term people were familiar with a couple of years ago, but Hawthorn House is the clearest demonstration of what it's about."

She added: "The building is so light and spacious that carers who work with some of our clients with autistic tendencies and behaviour problems have noticed that their behaviour improves while they're here."

Simon Crowe, director of Darlington- based Niven Architects, said: "We didn't want Hawthorn House to feel institutional in the design "The staff understood their clients' needs and worked very closely with us on the project. They did a great job in choosing the fittings and decor and are justifiably proud of what has been created."

Almost 100 adults from across Durham, Chester-le-Street, Derwentside and Easington can use the centre after undergoing an assessment of their needs by a care manager.

The service is funded by Durham County Council and guests pay a contribution towards the cost of the service.