A £184,000 community technology and resource centre has been opened in a former east Durham mining village.

Euro MP Stephen Hughes launched the project, which will bring a range of facilities to Horden residents.

Horden Parish Council's Community Technology and Resource Centre has been developed on the ground floor of the existing Social Welfare building.

The new complex includes a modern training room and a business and community support unit.

The Northern Training Trust has provided on-site information technology (IT) equipment, and it also supervises training courses.

Further vocational courses are planned, including call centre and Internet training.

The centre has been funded by the European Regional Development Fund, Horden Parish Council and the District of Easington's Settlement Renewal Initiative.

Following the completion of the resource centre, Horden Parish Council has also refurbished the upper floors of the Social Welfare Centre to provide much improved social facilities for the village.

Councillor Paul Stradling, chairman of the Social Welfare Centre Committee said: "The Social Welfare Centre now offers an excellent facility in which a range of training courses will be taught with a particular emphasis on new technology.''