PARALYMPIC champion Ade Adepitan, pictured, showed off his skills with a basketball to set the standard at Kidlington’s revamped sports centre.

Cherwell District Council invited the star to cut the ribbon to reopen the centre after spending £3.6m improving its facilities.

Mr Adepitan, 36, who was part of the British squad which took bronze at the Paralympics in Athens five years ago, shot to fame when he appeared on TV in the run-up to the Olympics showing off his impressive wheelchair athletics.

He said: “I am delighted to open this newly refurbished and enhanced centre.

“It is enormously important for as many people as possible to have access to sports facilities.”

To mark the reopening, the 36-year-old led a basketball session at the new leisure centre, which boasts a new sports hall, changing rooms, swimming pool roof, crèche, café and function room.

Council chairman Diana Edwards said she hoped the new centre would be a popular attraction.

Earlier this month, the district council opened a new bowling alley as part of a revamp of Bicester Leisure Centre. George Reynolds, executive member for environment, recreation and health, said: “One of our top priorities is to help people stay fit and healthy.

“These facilities, along with those reopened in Bicester, will help us do just that.

“I would urge as many people as possible to go along and see what is on offer. They might just be surprised at what they find.”

The council is spending a total of £18m upgrading its sports centres in Banbury, Bicester and Kidlington, all of which will be run by Parkwood Community Leisure.

Work on the £1.4m project to refurbish Banbury’s open air swimming pool at Woodgreen Leisure Centre is due to finish next month, while Spiceball Park Sports Centre is set to reopen early next year.