A TOWN'S dream of a new community centre will come to fruition with the opening of a £675,000 church conversion next week.

Members of the public will finally get to see the transformation of the Wesleyan Methodist Church in Newgate Street, Bishop Auckland, which is to become a meeting place for residents.

The new centre is the result of six years hard work by volunteers.

A £1.2m scheme named the Four Clocks project, after the church's clock tower, will house various volunteer organisations and offer a wide range of services, including national and local advice and support agencies.

It will also have a coffee bar, creche, meeting and conference facilities and an Internet caf.

Project director Meg Brown said it was an exciting time for the people of Bishop Auckland.

She said: "It has been extremely hard work by a very, very dedicated group of local people who have put a huge amount of effort into creating something that is just dazzling.

"They have done it for the people of Bishop Auckland and it is really something to be proud of.''

So far nine new jobs have been created by Bishop Auckland Community Partnership for the project and a further three will be created within the year.

Many of the church's original features, including stained glass windows and beams, have been retained.

Mrs Brown said: "It is a wonderful building and everyone who has seen it so far thinks it's lovely. We wanted something that's dynamic and responsive to the needs of the people.''

Volunteer groups are moving into the building today and the project's patron, Bishop Auckland MP Derek Foster, will cut the ribbon to celebrate its opening on Friday.

It will be open to the public from Monday, but residents are invited to an open day on Friday, May 10, from 10am to 4pm, to meet staff and look around. The coffee bar will be open until 2pm