Suffolk's first new library in more than ten years has opened to coincide with Suffolk Libraries' tenth birthday celebrations today.

The county's newest library branch opened on Monday, August 1 in Moreton Hall Community Centre, Bury St Edmunds.

It will be staffed for 17 hours per week, with new self-service equipment allowing customers to access the library and borrow items for an additional 50 hours per week.

Bruce Leeke, chief executive of Suffolk Libraries, said: "We're delighted to be working with Suffolk County Council, West Suffolk Council and partners across these two communities to deliver the many benefits a new library brings.

"We pride ourselves on working with local people to create the service they want at the heart of their community. So it's fitting that we mark our tenth birthday by launching two exciting projects that will enable us to better connect local people and support their needs by bringing the extraordinary everyday to life in their area."

The new Moreton Hall library will increase the number of Suffolk libraries from 44 to 45, on top of which there arean additional three mobile libraries.

Over the past year, several of the county's libraries have moved to new and improved facilities including Mildenhall, Saxmundham, Southwold, Needham Market and Long Melford.

Moreton Hall Community Centre has been extended and refurbished to accommodate the new library, with the project largely being paid for by funding from local housing developers to meet the needs of the growing community.

Councillor Robert Everitt, West Suffolk Council's cabinet member for families and communities, said: "We are delighted by this announcement which has come as a result of some fantastic collaborative work between the community association, the library service, the town, district and county councils as well as input from our local ward councillors and the residents' association.

"We have worked to help the centre become a sustainable community-owned and run facility and, as with our other hub projects, we look forward to seeing the new library service at the heart of community life."