Upton Community Centre users have been left out in the cold after the popular venue was closed with immediate effect on Friday.

There had been problems with the heating at the Claude Road site, which is used by a nursery as well as for youth groups, language classes and clubs for older people, for the past two months.

When engineers arrived to install new burners in a bid to solve the problem, they could not do so and were unable to restart the heating system due to a number of issues.

After further inspection, the boiler controls, boiler refractory and electrical wiring were found no longer to comply with regulations.

A council spokeswoman said: “We understand that the Upton Centre is an important place for many of our residents and community organisations.

“We are doing everything we can to find suitable alternative locations for users while we investigate the condition of the heating system.”

She added that the council have “identified a number of council-run community centres nearby that have the capacity to accommodate the groups”, but urged parents with children at the nursery to seek alternative arrangements for the New Year.

The council will now carry out a review of the heating system and the potential costs involved in reopening the centre.