A £230,000 training centre has been set up which could make hiring a plumber in South-West Durham easier in the future.

Bishop Auckland College has capitalised on the need for more plumbers.

The Plumbing Centre was developed by the college with support from regional development agency One NorthEast.

It is one of the best-equipped facilities in the region for training plumbing and electrical trades.

Giving students practical experience of the workplace by providing realistic work bays where bathroom suites and heating systems can be fitted and repaired, the centre also houses a dedicated plumbing classroom where apprentices can learn the theory behind the practice.

A £130,000 funding boost from One NorthEast, through the Durham Strategic Partnership, has enabled the centre to be refurbished and also extend its provision to include electrical installation training.

Support for the initiative has come at a time of renewed calls from the industry to look at ways of increasing the number of youngsters becoming plumbers.

Kate Simpson, head of technology at Bishop Auckland College, said: "The new centre will be one of just four in the country to become a Government ICT TestBed Project, which will give students and teachers access to a vast amount of resources for IT in the plumbing and electrical trades."

Kevin Rowan, board member for One NorthEast, said: "This new facility will give young people access the latest skills and techniques in a realistic, but controlled environment, and they can then put these skills to the test in the workplace."