Soccer Circus – an interactive indoor football centre – has opened at the Xscape leisure complex in Braehead near Glasgow in Scotland.

Ex-international footballer Kevin Keegan, Scottish entrepreneur Peter Barr and engineer Clive Mockford spent nine years developing the £6m facility, which includes a £500,000 grant from the Scottish Executive.

The football attraction uses real footballs in a series of interactive and fully automated games aimed at individuals and families.

It comprises three sections: a Skills Centre, Soccer Circus and a Training Academy.

The Skills Centre features a full range of fitness training programmes and individual football skills challenges.

Professional coaching is provided by Keegan and former Scottish international footballer Peter Cormack.

Soccer Circus engages visitors in a team game based in a stadium atmosphere. Scores for each game are recorded so that players can view league tables to compare their performance against other visitors and teams.

The Training Academy features three games – On the Spot, Pass and Receive and In the Zone – and a Super League match.

Keegan said: “Unless you sign for a league club, this is the nearest thing you will experience to a big match atmosphere.”

Sports minister Patricia Ferguson added: “This will not only help open up new tourism but will offer a first-rate educational and leisure facility for young people.” Details: www.soccercircus.com