A new audiology hub has opened in Saffron Walden.

Specsavers Saffron Walden, on Hill Street, has opened the new hub to meet the demand for more clinic capacity.

The store now has more dedicated testing space and increased availability to test, doubling the number of available appointments.

Faye Hall, the new audiology director for Saffron Walden and Harlow, said: "I’m pleased to announce the expansion of our clinics, allowing us to help more people in the Saffron Walden community.

"Monitoring hearing health is really important.

"Untreated hearing loss can result in cognitive decline, depression, and social isolation.

"Now with the increased testing capacity, we can reach more people and provide this essential service."

The store now has more dedicated testing space and increased availability to test (Image: Supplied) Deputy mayor Melon Ahmed was among the special guests who attended the official launch day and cut the ribbon to mark the hub’s official opening.

Libby, a hearing dog in training, and her trainer Malcom also attended and had a chance to meet the team and discuss the work carried out by hearing dogs.

Libby is 11 months old and once she is fully trained she will alert her deaf partner to sounds they would otherwise miss.

These range from important sounds like the doorbell, text messages and alarm clocks to crucial danger signals such as fire alarms.

Hearing dogs also provide emotional support and companionship.

Malcolm from Hearing Dogs UK said: "Libby and I received a very warm welcome from the staff who were delighted to meet Libby.

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"They were very interested to hear all about Hearing Dogs and how they help those who have hearing loss, as well what’s involved in the training process."

Libby, a hearing dog in training, and her trainer Malcolm were in attendance (Image: Supplied) Suba Thiara, director of Specsavers Saffron Walden and Haverhill, said: "We are thrilled to welcome Faye to our team as we prepare to bring more essential services to the community.

"We both will be working at Saffron Walden and Haverhill where we’ll now be able to see more people than ever.

"We’ve had a great time celebrating this week and want to thank everyone who came along."