FORMER Sunderland favourite Niall Quinn was back in the North-East yesterday to reopen Wellfield Community School in Wingate, County Durham, following a £7.5m rebuilding and refurbishment programme.

Quinn lived close to Sedgefield during his time as a player and chairman with the Black Cats, and performed ceremonial duties alongside Darlington manager Martin Gray, whose Football Academy provides coaching programmes at the school.

Wellfield has undergone a major renovation over the last two years, with headteacher Linda Rodham overseeing a significant investment in information technology as well as the introduction of a new uniform, school badge, PE strip and motto.

Having been identified as having serious weaknesses following an Ofsted examination four terms ago, the school was judged as good, with outstanding features for safety, in a repeat inspection in March.

Quinn said: “This is an area I know very well, and it’s a pleasure to be back. It’s a wonderful success story.

“When you look where this school was at a few years ago, morale was low and it was like a club at the bottom of the Conference. Now, it’s making its way up to the Premier League, or at least that’s what it feels like. They’re a great set of people and it’s nice to see what they’re doing.”