A NEW library opened with a flourish yesterday as stilt walkers, clowns and uni-cyclists welcomed its first visitors.

Durham's Clayport Library, part of the £30m Millennium City development, at the bottom of Claypath, was officially opened by BBC news presenter Carol Malia, county councillor Alan Cox and library manager June Gowland.

The first visitors through the doors - 20 of the former South Street library's most frequent users - were greeted by colourful entertainers specially booked for the occasion.

As well as being the first to choose from a stock of 18,000 books and an on line catalogue of the county's 800,000 stock holdings, the guests received a commemorative certificate and library memorabilia.

Ms Gowland said: "Our guests were from all age ranges and had made full use of all the facilities at South Street.

"With the excellent access to books and electronic media that Clayport offers, we're sure they'll have an even better time when they come to visit or access us on line."

Following the opening, The Palatinate Ensemble string quartet provided musical entertainment at the library, while St Margaret's Primary School choir sang in the children's area.

There will be more free events throughout the week, including pre-school toddler sessions, junior focus groups, and a cartoon workshop.

Occupying three floors, the library contains a technology area, with 22 computers, digital media equipment and a sounds and vision library.

It also has a designated children's area and a teen area boasting a Playstation 2.

The first floor is dedicated to answering queries, with reference books, a dozen computers, local studies collections and 60 study spaces.

Library user Daniel Keenan said: "It has a much airier atmosphere, and is much more user-friendly than the old one."