THE Archbishop of York and the country's top regeneration boss visited Middlesbrough yesterday to officially open a youth and community centre.

St Cuthbert's Youth and Community Centre, in West Lane, formerly a disused church hall, is only one project to get part of £52m in Government funding allocated to west Middlesbrough.

Joe Montgomery, director general of the Government's Neighbourhood Renewal Unit, and the Most Reverend Dr David Hope met residents, who are now using the well-equipped centre.

It was transformed with £244,000 of Government funding, £20,000 from the Church Urban Fund and £4,000 from St Martin's Church.

The venue, which opened in July, has a wide range of activities on offer, including youth clubs, drop-in sessions, a luncheon club, a residents' bingo night and community quizzes.

There is also a community area, workshop, kitchen, and table tennis and pool tables.

Pensioner Nancy Illing-sworth, from West Lane, said: "The building is lovely. It has been well thought-out, it is nice for children, and the staff are great."

Martin Clifford, 17, also from West Lane, said: "St Cuthbert's is good because it has been done out with a DJ-ing booth, which gives us something to do a few nights a week instead of being bored."

Joan Ford, chairwoman of the West Middlesbrough Neighbourhood Trust, which manages the Government's New Deal for Communities regeneration programme in West Lane, Whinney Banks and Newport, said the West Lane community had been desperate for a facility such as this for a long time.

She said: "This is a historic day for St Cuthbert's and the hundreds of people who use the centre to have such VIPs at the opening ceremony."

Mr Montgomery was also taken on a tour of the area to see some of the trust's other projects and to meet west Middlesbrough residents who are benefiting from them.

They include the base for the town's street wardens and community caretakers on Cannon Park Industrial Estate, a recruitment agency called At Work, in Acklam Road, and Whinney Banks Youth and Community Centre, in Harehills Road.

Mr Montgomery also opened a youth conference at the Macmillan College Learning Centre, in Stockton Road, organised and attended by children aged 13 to 19.