THE mayor of Darlington opened a new £1.4m community centre.

Coun Roderick Francis cut the ribbon at Maidendale House in Firthmoor - a centre he campaigned to have built as a resident of the estate alongside Firthmoor Community Association.

Coun Francis said he felt immensely proud to see it finally opened.

"It's a great feeling, really, to see what we have achieved. We got together and set ourselves aims. One of the main aims was to get rid of the stigma attached to Firthmoor and I think we've done that."

Children from Firthmoor Primary School, which got a new £2m building last year, performed a song about the estate at the opening.

There was also an exhibition outlining the regeneration projects on Firthmoor.

Bill Cook, chairman of Firthmoor Community Partnership Board, said: "Firthmoor has changed so much. It has been turned around.

"Opening this centre is the icing on the cake. We have a new school, the houses are being refurbished, CCTV - we have got the lot. People of Firthmoor be proud of what you've got."

The new centre houses a nursery, an information technology suite, a youth centre, credit union, healthy living centre and housing office.