COMPUTER training has been made more accessible to people throughout North Yorkshire.

A computer centre opened its doors to the public yesterday offering the chance to learn new skills.

Robin Hood's Bay fire station has become the first rural station in the country to have a £35,000 suite providing information technology training for the community.

The centre is the result of a partnership between North Yorkshire's Learning and Skills Council and the fire service.

Partnerships have been forged with learning centres to deliver the training. They include Yorkshire Coast College, Whitby Community Education and The Open University.

Caroline O'Neill, the council's director of planning and communications, said: "This is a way forward for us - enabling local people in rural areas to access resources for learning. The centre makes learning much more convenient."

The council's executive director, David Harbourne, said: "The provision for adult learning in villages such as Robin Hood's Bay is often sadly lacking. The fire station was the perfect place for the centre, as it is well known."

Dennis Newton, development and training officer at North Yorkshire Fire and Rescue Services, said: "The project is a real boost for the whole community.

"It has been felt for some time that when it comes to adult learning provision, the village has fallen behind.

"It really is a unique partnership between the Learning and Skills Council, the fire service and learning providers.

"It will mean local people won't have to travel too far to learn new skills."

The computers in the centre are linked to the Internet and the public will have access to printers, a digital camera and a scanner.

Special provisions have also been made for visually impaired learners and those with hearing problems.

The council hopes to set up seven more rural learning centres in partnership with the fire service.

Sites in Danby, Snainton, Helmsley and Hawes are being considered for development.