A STYLISH state-of-the-art village hall, which is set to greatly enhance community life in a Lune valley village, has opened this week.

The new hall in Arkholme - which has cost more than half a million pounds - boasts a large main hall for sports and social events, a kitchen, bar, large storeroom, committee room, foyer area as well as toilets, and disabled access and toilets.

A 66-space car park surrounds the new building, which is located next to the village school, on the main street.

The hall, which has a capacity for 350 people, will be used by a range of groups, from toddlers to Brownies and badminton sessions to line-dancing classes, as well as for private parties and events, such as weddings.

A number of new activities are due to start, including water colours and crafts classes, and the possibility of holding computer courses at the hall is being looked into.

Pupils at the village school will use the building for their PE classes, and a path has been created between the hall and the school to save children walking along the road.

School buses and parents picking up children will also be able to use the village hall car park.

Village hall committee chairman James Huddleston said it was a fantastic facility, which would make a tremendous difference to the local community.

"It's a reflection of the community - without the village behind us I don't think it would have got off the ground," he said.

Plans for the new hall were drawn up by Mason Gillibrand architects after the village hall committee decided it would be more cost-effective to build a new purpose-built centre rather than upgrade the old hall.

Planning permission was obtained, and fund-raising started in earnest.

The National Lottery Charities Board awarded the committee a £321,000 grant, with other funding coming from the Single Regeneration Budget, Countryside Agency, Lancashire Environmental Fund, Lloyds TSB as well as a number of donations, many from local people.

Work started last July, carried out by Fred Hall and Son, and Mr Huddleston said everyone was delighted with the finished building.

"It has been a complete team effort and everyone has pulled in the right direction," said Mr Huddleston, who thanked all the sponsors.

The committee is now seeking to raise an additional £ 10,000 to enable the field next to the hall to be purchased for community use.

Morecambe and Lunesdale MP Geraldine Smith will officially open the hall on Saturday after a lunch event for 300 villagers.

Lancashire Life Brass Band, the Great Eccleston hand bell ringers and the village school band and recorder group are all performing at the community celebration.