SCHOOLS in the borough of Stockton are celebrating after sharing more than £1m to boost sports facilities.

The projects will receive funding from the New Opportunities Fund (NOF) to provide a wider range of curricular and extra curricular activities, as well as providing quality changing facilities, to encourage greater community involvement in sport.

Egglescliffe School has received £360,000 from the Fund for a synthetic turf pitch.

Thornaby Community School and St Patrick's RC School will benefit from £700,000 to provide a synthetic turf pitch and Blakeston Community School, Stockton, will receive £365,000 to provide a dance and fitness studio.

Angela Darnell, headteacher at Egglescliffe School, said: "We are delighted by the NOF award for the school.

"An astro-turf playing pitch on the main school site will enable more young people to benefit from sport both within and outside the curriculum.

"Although several sports will be played on the new surface, it will be used predominantly for hockey. A partnership with Stockton Hockey Club means the facility will be used by the wider community.

"The National Hockey Association has indicated that Egglescliffe School will become its Centre for Excellence for the development of hockey within the Tees Valley."

Councillor Alex Cunningham, Stockton Borough Council's cabinet member for education, leisure and cultural services, said: "It is wonderful news the schools have been allocated grants from the New Opportunities Fund.

The money will be used to enhance facilities not only for the pupils of the schools, but also for the wider community."