A MULTI-MILLION pound community sports complex in Hartlepool has reached another important milestone.

Karen Hyrons has been appointed manager of the new £2.6m centre, which is being built at Brierton School, in Brierton Lane.

She will be responsible for the day-to-day running of the centre, which will offer sports including trampolining, badminton and basketball.

When completed in June, it will provide top-class training and competition facilities for the school and the wider community.

Covering 2,000sq metres, the complex will include a sports hall, two synthetic outdoor basketball and netball courts and a fitness suite. It will also feature outdoor changing rooms, a creche, meeting room and parking.

Ms Hyrons, 40, said: "This is a very exciting opportunity for me, and I'm looking forward to the challenge. This will be a flagship centre with brand new equipment and top of the range facilities. We aim to create a centre of excellence in a variety of sports, so there's a very exciting future ahead."

More than £1.7m of the total £2.6m funding is National Lottery money from Sport England, with the remainder coming from the Owton Rossmere Single Regeneration Budget Partnership, Hartlepool Borough Council and the school.