FAMILIES queued to be first through the doors at the county's newest international standard sports venue.

Essex Sport Arena at Essex University's Colchester campus welcomed hordes of children and fitness enthusiasts to its £12 million venue at the weekend for the grand launch.

Eight primary schools competed in a basketball tournament won by the Clacton Cannons who beat the Millfields Mavericks from Wivenhoe by 18-12.

Special guests on the day included Olympian Max Whitlock who will begin gymnastics sessions at his new school next week Monday.

Max was joined by the university's vice-chancellor Anthony Forster and Speaker of the House of Commons, the Rt Hon John Bercow to cut the ribbon.

Mr Bercow said: “To see so many people coming in from outside the University of Essex is testimony to a truth I have long recognised, that the university, by forging and nurturing links with the community, is not only doing the right thing for its students, it's also being a constructive member of the community.

“This is a dramatically superior facility that will go from strength to strength.”

The new space, with seating for 1,655 spectators, will be suitable for staging televised sporting events.

It will also be home to the newly-formed School of Sport, Rehabilitation and Exercise Sciences, which will train the next generation of sport scientists, sports coaches, sports therapists and physiotherapists.

Professor Forster said: “Essex Sport Arena is a physical manifestation of the scale of ambition we have for sport here in Essex, and the ambition we have for the student experience at the university.

“As an international standard sporting venue, we're also looking forward to hosting memorable sporting events here which can be enjoyed by our students, staff and the wider public.

"I’m delighted the Mavericks netball team will be staging three of this season’s netball super league fixtures in the arena.”

READ MORE: WHY MAX WHITLOCK BELIEVES HE HAS ONE OF THE BEST GYMNASTICS SCHOOLS AROUND