The twinkle-toed star, also of Strictly Come Dancing fame, joined councillors, police and the local community in celebrating the official opening last Thursday.

Family man Austin, who lives in Gaddesby and has four young daughters, is no stranger to the estate having opened the Sunny Brook play area in 2004.

And now he's become an honorary member of the Fairmead Residents' Association, giving his support to further regeneration plans and hopefully helping to secure potential future funding.

Local residents and families applauded as he cut the ribbon in the glorious sunshine. He said: "I think you're very fortunate to have a great centre like this.

"I firmly believe what's happened in our society is that we've become a nation of people who want to stay indoors. I just think people need somewhere to go and whenever a community centre like this opens, people congregate around it."

The revamped centre, which has doubled in size, will offer a whole range of services to families and children including health visitor sessions, yoga, baby massage and stay-and-play sessions. Other services being rolled out include parent and toddler groups, community outreach library work, healthy eating sessions, breast feeding support, smoking cessation, citizen's advice, training and employment support, family and adult learning events and much more.

There is also a youth club for eight to 13-year-olds at the centre on alternate Thursdays.

Families enjoyed a full day of outdoor and indoor activities last Thursday which included a climbing wall, yoga for youngsters, baby massage, sing-a-long a story, face painting, bingo and lots more.

There was also a free community barbecue, free goody bags for youngsters and specially-made healthy fruit smoothies for children and adults.

Melton borough councillor for Sysonby ward Joe Orson said: "It's a very exciting time. This is a state-of-the-art facility which will benefit the whole community. I know it will make a massive improvement to the quality of people's lives."

Mr Orson also paid tribute to the Fairmead Residents' Association and its ongoing efforts to improve things on the estate.

And he was very pleased Austin Healey had agreed to become an honorary member of the residents' association. He added: "It's the residents who are driving things forward but by having Austin as an honorary member I do see it helping out with possible funding for projects in the future."

Fairmead Residents' Association chairwoman Fiona Gray said she was quite surprised so many people turned up for the revamped centre's official opening.

She said: "We just want more people to make use of the new centre. It's much more up-to-date and a lot better than the old one.