BUDDING actors, journalists and designers can boldly go where no local students have gone before – thanks to a little help from the captain of the Starship Enterprise.

Actor Patrick Stewart beemed down to unveil the latest expansion at University Centre Oldham – a £5.5m multi-media and performing arts centre – in his role as the chancellor of Huddersfield University.

The actor, famous for portraying Captain Jean-Luc Picard in hit show ‘Star Trek’ and star of numerous blockbuster movies like the ‘X-Men’ trilogy, even hosted a workshop.

He told the Advertiser that his presence was somewhat ironic – as Oldham Rep had turned him down 50-years earlier.

"I’m a Yorkshireman and when my training was finished, I went home because I hadn’t got a job or an agent," he said. "With Oldham being just over the hill, I thought, ‘this is perfect’ – but I couldn’t even get a meeting with anyone from the Rep. They wouldn’t even see me.Oldham turned its back on me quite dramatically in 1959 and, I have to say, they have been badly regretting it ever since," he joked.

Saying that he was proud of his northern roots, the actor praised the new facilities which were completed in eight months and house specialist features for students on degree courses, including digital journalism, performing arts, architectural technology, multimedia, design and games art.

The award-winning actor admitted he was envious of the state-of-the-art surroundings.

He said: "Not only are the facilities vastly superior to those that I experienced as a student but everywhere is so clean! In my profession you find backstage areas are not especially wholesome but you get used to that.A building alone will not necessarily produce outstanding students, it’s the work within, but that work can be enhanced and supported by the right facilities. If you don’t have to worry about dirt, grime and safety issues then you can really focus on the best work possible."

Professor Bob Cryan, the university’s vice-chancellor, said: "We are very proud of the facilities in Oldham."