A £2m community building opening this summer will become central to a campaign to restore pride in a village battered by bad publicity.

The George Ward Centre is planned to kick-start the rejuvenation of Barwell.

Years of problems in the area were thrown into focus this year with the inquest into the death of Fiona Pilkington, who killed herself and her disabled daughter in 2007 after being taunted by yobs for a decade.

In November, mother-of-two Karen Brookes, 37, was stabbed to death in her car in Barwell.

The inquest, the stabbing and a string of court cases related to anti-social behaviour attracted pages of unwelcome attention from the national media.

County councillor Ruth Camamile said it was time for positive change.

She said: "We have had a lot of adverse publicity. The Pilkington case was a terrible tragedy. It left people very demoralised and it is heartbreaking to watch. Most of the people in Barwell want to move on and carry on with their lives in what is a very pleasant little village.

"I hope this new centre will go a long way to restoring their pride in the village."

A Pride in Barwell campaign was launched by the Neighbourhood Action Team, which includes community groups, police, schools and churches.

The George Ward Centre, in Church Lane, will include a large hall with a stage, five offices which can double as meeting rooms, a youth room, sports hall, IT suite and a bigger public library. It is funded by money from the sale of The Cedars, a house which was left to the village by footwear manufacturer George Ward. The site was sold for housing.

County council leader David Parsons, Bosworth MP David Tredinnick and George Ward project chairman Maureen Cook had their first tour of the venue which is being built.

Coun Parsons said: "The facility, which is a county council project, is magnificent and I think the people of Barwell will be very pleased once it is open."

Mrs Cook said there was a list of groups wanting to use the building. She said: "I am convinced this building will be the flame that ignites the community support back into Barwell after all the bad publicity."