EX-INTERNATIONAL cricketer turned singer Henry Olonga turned on his talents to open officially West Somerset's only specialist dance, drama and music centre.

The Quantock Performing Arts Centre at the Danesfield Middle School campus in Williton is the result of a £747,000 investment, funded from central government and local authority grants, together with support from local and national charities and parents and friends of the school.

Henry tested the performing quality of the new venue with a version of You Raise Me Up and was joined by past pupil Clio Loxton, singing Somewhere Over the Rainbow and The Moment I Saw Your Face.

Former pupils Tom and Emily Wedlake also took to the stage with a music set piece.

Staff, governors and sponsors of the project attended the official opening and watched a clip from the Oscar winning film the Hurt Locker - shown to demonstrate the widescreen facility and top class acoustics of the building.

The centre includes a recording studio, mirrored dance and drama facility and a large music rehearsal room, which the school says should transform the provision of dance, drama and music in the local area.

"We are enormously proud of our fundraising achievements for this build," said a school spokesman.

"We believe the centre will not only benefit our federation of schools but the whole surrounding community.

"Currently there is no specialist provision for the teaching of dance, drama or music in the local area - the nearest performing arts centre is 20 miles away.

"We are conscious that, in an economically deprived area, with expensive and infrequent public transport, many people are unable to travel this distance.

"We see the provision of this facility as a chance to provide excellent arts opportunities for our pupils and the local community and we are pleased to say that many local clubs are already utilising the facility in the evenings."