HIGH-TECH interactive media centre created to boost Wiltshire College's status of excellence in digital and broadcast media has been officially opened in Corsham.

Margaret Hodge MBE, minister of state for further and higher education was due to open the centre yesterday.

The centre has been funded by the Learning and Skills Council as part of the £500,000 Centre of Vocational Excellence grant awarded to Wiltshire College.

The new facility will benefit National Diploma and HND students at Wiltshire College, as well as employers who wish to train their staff in areas such as Desktop Video Production, Digital Character Animation and Modelling.

George Bright, principal of Wiltshire College, said: "The achievement of Centre of Excellence status is a great accolade for the college and the staff who teach in digital and broadcast media.

"This is a rapidly developing business sector nationally and in the county."