Brockley Hall extension opened.

About 80 people attended a thank-you celebration at Brockley Hall, Saltburn, on Saturday July 2, following a £500,000 development at the Christian holiday home overlooking the valley gardens.

Admiration for the new sun lounge, which has been added to Brockley Hall holiday centre,

Saltburn. From left manager David Brooking, trustees chairman Stuart Martin, singer

 Rebekah Hand, building designer Steve Hand, and local church member Ken Lightfoot.

It marked the completion of a scheme to add an 11-bedroomed wing and sun lounge, which visitors described as "great."

The charity running the Victorian house, which was taken over by it nearly 80 years ago, took the decision five years ago to invest the money by selling nearly half the garden to retirement specialists McCarthy Stone for a 22-apartment block to finance the new wing.

It contrasted, said longtime visitors, with the dormitories and bread and jam supplements to meals of the decades ago. Chairman Stuart Martin described the new bedrooms as of Travel Lodge standard.

He hoped people living in the retirement apartments across the croquet lawn would use the hall's facilities including bedrooms and dining-room, when available.

Hall manager David Brooking recalled that there had been some considerable opposition to the building programme, but many local residents had been very supportive.

"This is our way of saying `thank you' for that support."

Those taking part in the service included Ken Lightfoot, of Saltburn's evangelical church at Leven Street, hall assistant manager Angela Scott, and Steven Hand, building designer, of Chester.

One of his daughers, Rebekah, 20, sang a solo.

Regular visitor Christopher Kirkbride, a retired headteacher, of Stone, Staffordshire, said: "The new building is great."

The site manager said the first of the new McCarthy Stone retirement apartments would be occupied from late July, with more than half of them sold.

Mike Morrisey