MIDDLESBROUGH Mayor Ray Mallon has welcomed a new era for a number of primary schools.

Yesterday, he laid the foundation stone for a new sports and arts hall at Holmwood Primary School, Middlesbrough. There will be new halls at Holmwood, Breckon Hill Primary and Corpus Christi RC Primary School and extensions and improvements at Viewley Hill and Park End thanks to a £1.7m grant from the Space for Sports and Arts Lottery Fund with the balance of £800,000 raised by Middlesbrough Council and the schools.

Councillor Paul Thompson, executive member for education, said: "These new and improved spaces for sport and arts will ensure that pupils have more opportunities to take part in quality activities. The headteachers from the schools played a crucial part in the success of the award."