Youngsters have received a boost after a youth club unveiled new facilities thanks to over £90,000 of funding.

Egremont Youth Partnership invited Copeland mayor Mike Starkie to officially open The Core Youth Centre, on the town's Chapel Street

The partnership, which has been running since 2012, has been able to revamp the former Methodist church hall due to grants from the Francis C Scott charitable trust and WREN.

Chairman of trustees for Egremont Youth Partnership, Carole Woodman, said: "In 2012, it was just an old redundant church hall and a damp building. It needed central heating installed, rewired and brought up to modern standards.

"It's now a modern hall, we have a full cafe were we have cooking demonstrations. We can hold music performances, and there is pool tables, table tennis tables and art and craft facilities.

"We're now the only mainstream youth club in Egremont. There are more than 800 young people in the area and they've had nowhere to go."

Egremont town council has thanked the partnership and its volunteers for its work, which has helped to reduce anti-social behaviour in the town.

"There has been anti-social behaviour on the streets but we can provide somewhere to go, which has helped," said Mrs Woodman.

"It hasn't stopped everything but we have youth workers who can talk to them. They feel forgotten a bit, what is there to do? If you're not a football or rugby player you're stuck socially. That's why they are on the streets.

"Until we had a modern, warm building it was difficult to recruit staff and plan for the future. We are now able to develop a sustainable community youth project."

Francis C Scott, which supports young people from the most deprived areas, helped the youth partnership take over the building and donated £45,000 while WREN, a not-for-profit business that helps benefit the lives of people who live close to landfill sites, handed over £46,000 for the refurb.

The open day saw councillors, volunteers and youngsters explore the new facilities and take part in a range of activities, including art sessions and playing homemade musical instruments.

Copeland mayor Mike Starkie said: "The new youth club is a fantastic asset for the people of Egremont.

"The range of activities that can be enjoyed there – creative, sporting and musical – will provide long-lasting benefits for the local kids.

"Carole Woodman and the organisers deserve enormous credit for bringing it together."