DEPUTY Prime Minister John Prescott today hailed Gillingham's Sunlight community centre as "a trailblazer".

Mr Prescott, impressed by the wide variety of services the centre provided and the success of its running, said he believed places like this should exist nationwide.

He spoke during a two-hour visit to the Richmond Road centre, a former laundry. He said: "I would like to reproduce this sort of centre all over the country."

During the visit Mr Prescott also praised the England rugby team for their win in the World Cup on Saturday. He said: "They will be treated as heroes. They will visit Number 10 (Downing Street) and march down Whitehall."