Students praise new sports facilities

Highlands College students have been working out at the new Oakfield Centre

Jersey students have welcomed the opportunity to use new sports facilities.

The £8m facilities at the Oakfield Centre which were officially opened on Thursday are located next to Highlands and Hautlieu colleges.

College students have been given the chance to use the new equipment as part of their lessons.

The Oakfield Centre has facilities for various sports including a 3G pitch, martial arts studios and purpose-built gymnastics hall.

'More opportunities'

Leah, 17, and Susannah, 18, from Highlands College said they were impressed with the wide range of equipment at Oakfield.

Leah said: "I think it will really bring in younger teenage girls and older women."

Susannah added: "It's nice to get new equipment, new space, it opens up more opportunities to play different sports."

The new facilities, run by Active, have opened following the closure of the Fort Regent centre and will host some of the sporting activities previously held there.

Oscar, left, and Adam have been impressed by the new equipment at Oakfield

Oscar and Adam, both 17, are also students at Highlands and have been using the new equipment to coach each other.

Oscar said: "It's right next to Hautlieu and Highlands so you can go in the morning before classes so it's very ideal and it's very good to get into fitness at a young age."

Adam added: "This definitely promotes a lot of fitness, keeping people healthy. It's got all the facilities you need."

Several sports clubs have raised concerns about how they can all use Oakfield Centre after they were moved out of Fort Regent this year.

The government has said it will continue to work with groups to ensure they have the facilities they need.