A THREATENED community centre which had become a “magnet for vandals” has been given a new lease of life.

Coxford Community Centre is to be saved after Oaklands Community Pool struck a deal with Southampton City Council.

The pool charity has agreed to take over the boarded-up facility, which has been the subject of persistent vandalism in recent weeks.

The council owned building has had its windows smashed, roof tiles ripped off and inside completely “trashed” in a series of raids since Tuesday, April 8.

But civic chiefs say the building will now be revitalised, with Oaklands Community Pool set to lease the facility for a year for its dry-side activity programme.

Councillor Satvir Kaur, cabinet member for communities, culture and leisure, said: “Oaklands Community Pool is an extremely successful example of a community asset transfer. Today it is going from strength to strength and I’m personally really excited to be working in partnership with them on this.”

The deal brings to an end a two year saga over the future of the hall, when the city council announced its decision to pull funding as part of its Community Asset Transfer Scheme.

A volunteer group struggled to keep the “valuable” community centre running more than a year and a half.

However the cash-strapped volunteer group were unable to pay the council’s rumoured £100,000 plus price tag to buy the facility outright. Despite their best efforts, the group reluctantly locked up the council-owned hall three months ago.

One of those to comment on the announcement was Putting People First councillor Don Thomas, who last week reported the recent vandalism to the Echo.

Councillor Thomas, himself a former chairman of the Coxford Community Centre, said: “A building in use is better than a empty building so I welcome Oaklands Swimming Pool using Coxford Community Centre. It is ironic that Coxford Community Association supported the”Save Oaklands Pool”campaign ?all those years ago to now come in to help the centre from disrepair.”

A representative from Oaklands Community Pool was unavailable for comment.