A high-energy performance from nearly 60 young gymnasts marked the official opening of new �2.8m facilities at Sportspark at the University of East Anglia.

The Spring Gymnastics Centre has been in use since September and children from the gymnastics and trampolining courses showed the skills they have learned to a packed crowd at the centre's formal opening on Saturday.

Equipped to Olympic standard, the centre has foam filled pits, a fast track, tumble track, a sprung floor, floor-level trampolines and a full array of gymnastic apparatus.

Saturday's displays were put together by gymnastics coaches at the Sportspark, with individual and group routines, and there were also short performances from the UEA Cheerleading club, trampoline coaches and Chermond Gymnastics Club, before the university's former director of sport, Keith Nicholls, cut the ribbon.

Maria Rowe, acting director, hailed the centre as 'one of the best facilities in the country' and said more than 500 people used it every week.

'There's a huge demand for gymnastics facilities in Norwich, which is why we decided to extend our range of activities and offer recreational level gymnastics and trampolining.

'We don't have year long waiting lists; we have a set number of spaces which are available on a first come first served basis, to open up the centre to as many people as possible.'

'While we don't intend to run competitions, children have been working towards their proficiency award badges throughout the courses.

'We thought it'd be nice for the children who are now at the end of our second term to show off the skills they've learnt at Spring in front of their family and friends and other local coaches.'