'Brilliant' new sports pitch opens in city park

The facility is the first of hundreds of PlayZones across the country, the Football Foundation said

A new multi-sports pitch - the first of its kind in the country - has been opened in Derby.

The pitch in Normanton Park, called PlayZone, is the first of hundreds in the country, according to the Football Foundation.

It has replaced the concrete pitch, which was previously used by students at Dale Community Primary School in Normanton.

Gurbinder Singh Kooner, the assistant sports manager at the school, says students will "be here more often than not now".

Assistant sports manager Gurbinder Singh Kooner hailed the new facility

The school has currently no on-site PE facilities for its 600 students, so it was using the concrete pitch in the park when the weather permitted.

Mr Kooner added: "We've been coming down to Normanton Park for the past 30-odd years. Coming and doing our PE, doing our sports days on the park, and now to have this amazing facility and the first in the whole of England is brilliant.

"All 82 children can have their PE lessons at once now so it's brilliant.

"I think it would have to be hailing or something to stop us from coming now."

Pupils Romeo and Daud, both 11, are excited to play on the new pitch

Romeo, 11, who is a pupil at the school, said: "Before, it wasn't that great, now it's safe, we used to have concrete and if you get a dirty challenge in football, you'd scab your knees."

Another pupil, Daud, 11, said: "I think it's a lot better, just how it looks, it's perfect."

The school will use the PlayZone for 10 hours a week, however the pitch is accessible to everyone and can be used for football, cricket, netball, touch rugby, quick-stick hockey and dodgeball.

The pitch is one of the 230 facilities that the Football Foundation plans to roll out across the country.

It will be run by Sporting Communities, a not-for-profit community interest company that provided £35,000 towards the project alongside an additional £25,000 contribution from Derby City Council.

A further £180,000 of funding came from the Premier League, The FA and Football Foundation.

Baggy Shanker, leader of Derby City Council, said: "It's going to be a fantastic facility for the local community to use, it's going to make a massive difference to getting local communities active, in their local area."