COMMUNITY sports facilities have opened at a North Yorkshire school as a £32m development reaches its latest phase.

More than 1,600 children at Richmond School will be able to experience an expanded sports curriculum following the creation of a large sports hall, state-of-the-art multi-gym and an activity room.

The school is also to be opened up to local primary schools, clubs and the community at large so people can make the most of the new facilities.

The sports hall has room for six badminton courts, when most facilities normally have four.

It can be divided into sections so that sports such as five-a-side, basketball, cricket and table tennis can be played simultaneously.

There is also a large screen on the wall linked to video which will allow coaches to film, play back sport in action and analyse people’s techniques.

New, disabled-accessible changing rooms have also been created, as well as washing facilities for laundering kit.

Chris Thomson, head of PE and outdoor development at the school, said: “We have moved from having really poor facilities at the school to having those ranked among the very best.”

Her assistant Martin Burgess added: “This means we can develop and expand the sporting curriculum at the school more than ever before - it’s just such a bright, light, healthy, wonderful space.”

A host of local clubs are expected to use the facility, which will be managed out of school hours 6pm-10pm and at weekends by the Richmond Leisure Trust.

Sports will include football, basketball, table tennis, gymnastics, boxercise, martial arts, handball, aerobics, netball, badminton, table tennis, girls’ football and ultimate golf.

The community are invited to see the new facilities at an open day on November 29 from 10am-4pm.

Richmond School’s administration director, Audrey Pledge, said: “It has gone way beyond being just for the school; it is a community facility that will be used as much as possible.”