A new £2.5m specialist centre for disabled students has been opened at City College Norwich.

Lord mayor Brenda Arthur was joined by the sheriff of Norwich, Beryl Blower, to open the building yesterday.

The new facility will provide support to students who are aged 16 to 25 and have multiple learning difficulties.

It features three classrooms, a medical needs room and a therapeutic suite. Until now students with complex needs have had to travel outside the county for support.

Corrienne Peasgood, principal at City College Norwich, said: 'This fantastic new facility provides the county with much-needed additional learning provision for young people who have complex needs.

'It allows the college to extend our bespoke learning programmes to a wider range of students, complementing our existing outstanding provision for students with learning difficulties and or disabilities.

'It is fantastic to see the PMLD Centre now open as a key part of the redeveloped Broadland Drive area which now provides an attractive green heart to our campus.'

The first 12 students have now started at the centre.