POET Laureate Andrew Motion declared that libraries were the "spiritual heart of the community" during a visit to York.

Mr Motion, who succeed the late Ted Hughes as Poet Laureate in 1999, officially opened the extended and refurbished Strensall Library at a ceremony yesterday, attended by pupils from nearby Robert Wilkinson School. Through a £130,000 project, the library has been modernised and extended, and now boasts a new public access computer suite. The school pupils helped design the new children's library, choosing wall colours and illustrating poems for the walls.

Sue Clarke, customer services manager for City of York Council's libraries, said: "Andrew Motion gave a very good address.

"He said that libraries were very important to him in his formative years. As a child he relied on libraries because he doesn't come from a bookish family. He said they were the spiritual heart of the community. We all believe that, it's what motivates us.

Strensall Library was today hosting a family fun day from 2pm to 7.30pm, which includes storytelling, games and puzzles.

Updated: 10:47 Friday, May 30, 2003