A training centre in Shaftesbury has expanded.

Town mayor, Cllr Lester Dibben, officially opened a new building at the North Dorset Skills Centre on Wincombe Lane on Tuesday (19).

A new brick building containing three classrooms will form a dedicated plumbing workshop and a beauty salon.

City and Guilds student, Gabby Lomas, 16, of Henstridge, praised the new centre and said it would help her to emulate her brother by becoming a plumber.

“It’s really good to have a college round here. The new facility is really nice. It’s also great to have new classrooms for theory work here.

“I chose plumbing because my brother’s a plumber. He’s shown me how to do stuff and it’s a good trade to be in.

"By training here, I’m hoping to follow in his footsteps and be an even better plumber than him.”

The skills centre is operated by Yeovil College. It provides further education teaching for 14 to 16-year-olds from North Dorset studying day release or full-time courses in construction, hairdressing, health and social care, and uniformed public services.

Cllr Dibben said: “It’s vital for the local community to have good quality training facilities on its doorstep instead of people having to travel further afield."

Over 100 students took courses at the centre last year, and numbers have nearly doubled in 2010, said principal, James Hampton.