THIS is the first look inside Accrington's new £7.5million state-of-the-art health centre.

Accrington Pals Primary Healthcare Centre, Paradise Street, will be an ultra-modern facility housing some of the town's GPs.

There will also be room for physiotherapy, occup-ational therapy and a diabetic clinic.

The Lancashire Telegraph was shown around the new building, parts of which will be opened to the public from next week.

The opening of the centre is the first phase of a £17million investment in Hyndburn which also includes a second health-care centre in Blackburn Road and the Broad Oak dental education and training centre at the back of the Paradise Street centre.

David Peat, chief exec-utive of East Lancashire Primary Care Trust, said: "It's an exciting time for everyone concerned but it's also a gigantic task and our aim is to make it go as smoothly as possible.

"The Accrington Pals centre provides 21st Century health facilities right on people's doorsteps and as well as providing everyday provision, such as a base for GP surgeries, health visitors, district nurses and the like, it will also provide many services previously only available in hospital settings.

"The aim is to bring more and more services nearer to people's homes, so that they don't necessarily have to travel to Blackburn or Burnley.

"The closer to home the service, the easier it is for Hyndburn people to access it."

He said a real effort was made to complete the building to a high standard.

Mr Peat said: "The finished product really has a wow factor when you see the beautiful finish to everything inside the building.

"We're sure the public of Hyndburn will appreciate having a community-based health centre that they can be really proud of."

Christine Gregory, who has helped mastermind the project for the PCT, added: "In the end, all the space in this ultra-modern building will be used by health professionals and patients alike."

The PCT said that the centre was named after the Accrington Pals, the celebrated local battalion of the East Lancashire Regiment which suffered so cruelly in the First World War, in a bid to honour the 720 men who fought on the opening day of the Battle of the Somme.