THE finishing touches are being added to the new £260,000 pavilion in Victoria Park, ready for its opening in two weeks' time.

Work began on the Malvern Link building four months ago as part of a £350,000 package of improvements at the park, which include a multi-games area and skate-boarding park.

The old pavilion was condemned last year after water started leaking through the roof. A fire also ripped through the building at the start of this year, causing major structural damage.

Tony Burford, head of design and capital works at Malvern Hills District Council, said a number of anti-vandal features had been added to the new building.

"It's got a pitched roof which is infinitely better than a flat roof and it's also got a metal profiled roof so it won't break easily," said Mr Burford.

"Another feature is that there are no rain water pipes or gutters. Instead, we've given it an extra hangover at the eaves. The first thing vandals do is pull off pipes, we've had that experience before.

"The users of the pavilion are going to find a load of differences between this building and the last."

Ward councillor and MHDC chairman Pat Raven has seen the project through from the very first stages.

"I'm very pleased with the pavilion and it's going to be an enormous improvement and much better for the people of Malvern Link," she said.

"I would think people are looking forward to using it."