A VANDALISED Oxford pavilion has gained a new lease of life after volunteers cleared it out and redecorated it.

The Louie Memorial Pavilion off Arnold’s Way, Botley, was neglected after it was trashed by vandals two years ago.

But volunteers from the Louie Memorial Pavilion Trust have spent the past two months working weekends to restore it to a community asset again.

The building was reopened during the area’s celebrations for the Queen’s Diamond Jubilee on Monday.

The trust is hoping more groups will use it now so maintenance costs will be covered by hire fees.

Chairman of trustees Emmett Casley said North Hinksey Youth Club was now using it and he hoped councillors and neighbourhood police officers would also become regular users.

He said: “It hadn’t really had anything done to it for four or five years. There was a danger the building could be mothballed.”

North Hinksey Parish Council gave £750 to the project and will pay for the boilers to be serviced and repaired.

The building, which is more than 30 years old, has a social room, a kitchen, changing rooms, toilets and showers.

Darren Blase, treasurer of the trust and a volunteer at the youth club, said: “It was dark and dingy before. We have painted it white – it’s clean and fresh.”

The next stage of the project will be to redecorate the outside of the building. A mural by Matthew Arnold School pupils, painted in 2010, was also vandalised. It could be covered up with another mural.

For details on hiring, call Mr Casley on 01865 427519