STAFF at Studley Leisure Centre are smiling after achieving the highest assessment grade in the UK for the quality of their service.

Under the assessment, carried out by independent international monitoring organisation QUEST, the leisure centre was awarded a whopping 72 per cent for its overall performance in several categories, including facilities, customer relations and staffing.

Principal leisure facilities officer for Stratford Council, Peter Owen, said the grade was the best achieved so far in the UK for a first inspection.

He said: "Everyone on the team at Studley Leisure Centre deserves ownership of its success. The effort has come from the bottom up and staff deserve to be praised for their efforts."

QUEST has assessed leisure facilities all over the UK and the national average score is 67 per cent.

Stratford councillor Gillian Roache said the centre had done particularly well, having re-opened only 13 months ago with a new team in place.

She added: "This is a superb facility whose achievement is wonderful news for the people of Studley and the surrounding area."