OLYMPIC hopefuls took their first tumble at a new judo centre as it was given a royal opening.

Princess Anne spent more than an hour meeting members of Dartford Judo Club, Dartford Council and the architects of the new £4.5m Judokwai at the official opening in Cotton Lane.

After talking to Alan Roberts, the club's founder and coach of 40 years, the Princess Royal was treated to demonstrations by club members and children from Ifield School, Cedar Avenue, Gravesend.

The new glass-fronted building, which received £3.8m from the council, boasts 400 seats for spectators as well as specialist mats and a training room.

A team of youngsters, hoping to form the British judo team for the 2012 Olympics, will train at the centre.

Mr Roberts said: "It's without doubt the country's top training centre for the sport.

"There are significant opportunities to develop it to ensure the elite players can achieve their best at international competitions."

Leader of the council Councillor Jeremy Kite said: "I'm enormously proud of what the council has created here.

"It's wonderful to think it will help raise the quality of British judo on the Olympic stage."