HAIR, beauty and hospitality students at Blackburn College will train to be professionals in a new state-of-the-art £3.5million building.

The New Victoria Building at the town centre campus, will provide all the facilities that students could expect to encounter in their chosen industry -- and more.

Curriculum manager of the hair, beauty and hospitality centre John Cronshaw is so proud of the new facilities that he believes the new beauty rooms even "out salon the salons."

He said: "We now have five hair salons and four beauty salons, equipped with all the newest technologies and IT facilities so that they function in the same way as any other salon.

"There is also a nail and pedicure room and a spa area that our clients can come and relax in."

The year-long build began in September 2003, with internal fittings taking a further five months.

The hair and beauty students have been able to use the new building since January 24 and Hospitality students will move into the building after Easter.

In the spa area beauty clients can relax in the jacuzzi, steam cabinet or sauna and try out one of the treatments while lying on the heated dry flotation bed.

Mr Cronshaw added: "We are really proud of the facilities we can now offer.

"We are one of the colleges that are leading the way.

"Our old building was simply too small and allowed no room for expansion, either to keep up with new trends in industry or to take the ever increasing number of students enrolling on such courses.

"Pupils from Darwen Vale, Darwen Moorland and Queen's Park Technology College come in each week as part of their NVQ Level one hairdressing qualification and then many stay on for further courses after their GCSEs.

"We have come a long way when you think we only started doing beauty therapy courses 10 years ago."

Joint funding for the new building came from a partnership between Blackburn College and the Learning Skills Council.

Last week it was revealed that 30 non-vocational course would have to be axed by the college as funding fell from £300,000 to just £125,000.

Principal Ian Clinton, said: "Unfortunately funding is always ring-fenced and must be targeted for the purpose for which it was given.

"The reason we managed to get so much money for the building is because hair, beauty and hospitality are considered by the Government and the Learning Skills Council to be a priority as they link the world of work with education and training."

There will be an official opening later this year.