A WARRINGTON school is getting £1m worth of lottery money to create a new sports centre for its pupils and the community.

Sir Thomas Boteler CE high school will use the money from the New Opportunities Fund to build an eight-court sports hall at the Westy school with sports like aerobics and dance catered for as well as junior basketball and netball.

Headteacher John Sharples said: "This is going to make a massive difference to PE and sport in general at the school but it's also going to create tremendous opportunities for everybody in the community."

In Knowsley, St Brigid's RC primary school is getting £29,000 worth of lottery funding to create an outdoor adventure area with climbing and rope courses for its 191 pupils and 503 pupils from other schools to come and enjoy.

Gill Price, headteacher of the Stockbridge Village school, said: "This is tremendous news.

We put the bid in because we wanted to develop activities on the playground. The children designed the area themselves."

Whiston Willis community primary school is getting £15,000 to build an outdoor activity trail for pupils, community groups and parent and toddler groups. The trail will have 10 obstacles to help develop children's social and team skills.

Sheila Duke, from Whiston Willis, said: "We are ecstatic to be getting this money which will make a big difference and benefit all our children."

In St Helens, Holy Cross primary school and Parish primary is being given £147,731 to support improvements to the two schools' playgrounds.

Changes include netball, basketball, five-a-side courts, 50m sprint track, playground markings and adventure playground equipment.