CHAMPION town crier Alan Booth yesterday helped spread the good news about the opening of a community centre and gallery.

The centre at Ravenscar overlooks Robin Hood's Bay and is attached to the village church, St Hilda's.

Mr Booth, from Scarborough, joined local people to celebrate the opening of the development.

The work was made possible by a £200,000 bequest from the late Ingrid Flute, who founded a thriving local holiday accommodation agency, and a £68,000 grant from the Government.

An extra contribution from the Community Education Service allowed the building to be equipped as an art workshop, conference and education centre.

The old church room that was used for meetings had become dilapidated over the years and local people dedicated themselves to the task of renovating it.

A five-computer IT suite and conference area occupies the top floor, while the lower floor can be put to a variety of community uses.

The church nave has a cinema-quality audio system and can be turned into a 60-seat auditorium. The gallery also has its own entrance, although it still connects to the nave of the church.

"We had a functional but cold church and a very unfunctional church room," said the treasurer of the church council, Rory Clarke.

"Now we have a well-heated and properly lit multifunctional building which is suitable for services and a lot of local community events from exhibitions and meetings to film screenings."