A SEVEN-YEAR £600,000 project to celebrate the history of a Breconshire town has culminated in the opening of its own heritage centre.

The former Congregational Chapel in Llanwrtyd Wells has re-opened as the Llanwrtyd & District Heritage and Arts Centre.

It tells the story of Llanwrtyd from the time it became famous as a spa town - with thousands of people travelling to take the waters - to the present day with the town recognised as the home of unusual events such as Man versus Horse Marathon and World Bog Snorkelling Championship.

Former Brecon and Radnorshire MP Roger Williams opened the new centre.

He said "friendliness" and "resilience" were the two words which he felt best described Llanwrtyd.

Mr Williams said during the second World War the town welcomed staff and pupils of Bromsgrove School when their buildings were needed for the War Office. A similar welcome was given to a Czech school established in the town for children rescued from the Nazis by the late Sir Nicholas Winton.

Mr Williams said Llanwrtyd has shown "resilience in overcoming any threat that might be thrown at them" whether it be the potential closure of the town’s Post Office or Medical Centre or chapel.

Llanwrtyd mayor Peter James spoke about the generosity and support of the community and the commitment and hard work of trustees and volunteers that ensured the success of the project. He said a large number of friends of the centre have also regularly donated to the funds.

Susan Price said she had mixed feelings describing both the sadness that she and former trustees experienced when the congregational chapel closed and their gladness that the building has been saved to provide "a very different but worthwhile future".

The exhibition includes old photographs and other memorabilia from members of the community and touch screen technology allows visitors to hear oral clips of members of the community talking about their lives and also to view maps showing how the area changed from the early 1800s through to the late 1900s.

The centre will be open to the public from 10 am to 4 pm from Thursdays to Sundays throughout the summer and autumn.