YOUNGSTERS are hoping to hit the back of the net after they were given a new £30,000 playground.

The colourful new playground at Devonshire Road Primary School in Heaton was built after the school submitted a successful funding application to Sport England, getting the maximum grant possible.

The school has no green space of its own, so the playground has become invaluable to pupils and staff.

After months of waiting, the playground has now been opened and children of all ages can take advantage of it.

It includes a football pitch with nets, boards on the caged walls, which can be used as cricket wickets, netball hoops, and colourful patterns on the floor which the children will be able to use to play games.

The surface in the playground is soft to make it as safe as possible for the children.

Headteacher Pam Barnes said: "We have a really good partnership with Bolton School, where they let us come down and use some of their green space for PE lessons because we don't have any of our own, but this playground will be brilliant for the children, to have a place of our own.

"The children absolutely love it. Ever since work started they have been counting down the time until it is opened."

Work to create the playground only took about a week, but the school was first informed it had been successful in the funding application in September.

The cash is intended for schools that do not have green spaces of their own.

Mrs Barnes said: "The children have been frustrated waiting for it but it has been worth the wait."

The school hopes that this new equipment will promote sport in school, as well as combat childhood obesity.

Mrs Barnes added: "We are really committed to sport in school, and we want the children to try out different things.

"As well as football and cricket, they have recently done fencing and archery lessons.

"Obviously the playground will help keep the children active in their PE lessons, which is a positive."