A PRIMARY school which “epitomises the Paralympic spirit” has been given £30,000 to develop outdoor sports facilities.

St Peter’s CE Primary School — which inspired Paralympics chief Sir Philip Craven as a youngster — has been given the Sport England grant to install new sports courts, marked play spaces, football nets and basketball hoops.

The investment comes on the back of a £2.4 million overhaul of the Farnworth school.

Sir Philip, President of the International Paralympic Committee, will return to his former school next year to unveil the new facilities.

He said: “Firstly they have new-build classrooms, which are fully accessible for all children. Now this is being followed up by an extension of their outdoor play area. It is a great honour when I think that 59 years ago I was a pupil at St Peter’s. This school epitomises the Paralympic spirit.”

Lynn Williams, headteacher, said: “The aim of this new development will be to increase the opportunities available to pupils through curriculum experiences and also aim to engage every pupil in an extra-curricular activity in a wide range of sports.

“Having this new facility will mean that the children are proud and inspired to achieve their best. Children will enjoy themselves through the new opportunities they can experience which will help to develop the foundations of a sporting habit for life.”

The grant is part of Sport England’s £18 million National Lottery funded Primary School Facilities Fund.

Pupils at the school helped to choose what the grant would be spent on.

Mrs Williams added: “This project is being driven by our children. They are desperate for the outdoor area to be developed which can offer them more activities that will help them keep active and healthy.”

The project has also won praise from London Olympics chief Lord Sebastian Coe.

He added: “A positive first experience of PE and sport at primary school is crucial to encouraging young people to be active throughout their lives, but for those schools with little or no outside space this can be extremely challenging to deliver. This funding will provide better outdoor multi-activity play areas.”