WORKINGTON Academy formally opened their £400,000 state of the art sports facility- with ex pupil and soccer star Rio Hardy cutting the ribbon at the event.

Rio,a professional footballer, currently playing for Durham City, went back to her roots to open the new all weather sports pitch and speak to a group of pupils about her career.

She said “It’s fantastic to see my old school getting such a great new sports pitch. It’ll be great for the students and will really help them to improve their ability in and enjoyment of sport.”

On leaving one of the Academy’s predecessor schools in 2012, Rio moved to America with twin Sister Steffi to start a Football scholarship at the University of South Alabama.

More recently Rio moved back to England to play for Coventry and has just signed for Durham City who are currently pushing for promotion to the Women’s Super League.

Pupils at the Academy were delighted to have the new facility and able to gain some inspiration from Rio.

Katie O'Leary, from Seaton who is currently in Year 8 at the Academy currently plays centre-mid at the Blackburn Rovers Training Academy.

At the event she said: "It's been really good, she (Rio) is someone that I can look up to because she's been in the position that I'm in now...this is really good because we get to play football more often and we can enjoy it more."

The pitch was paid for using investment from Cumbria Education Trust. Lorrayne Hughes, CEO of Cumbria Education Trust, said “We seek to provide the best possible facilities for all of our students. This is just one of many large scale projects we have ongoing throughout the Trust, and it’s great to see that Workington Academy and the whole community have been so enthusiastic about this excellent new facility.”

Year 11 Grace Leigh Earl led a training session with younger pupils, she said: "I think this is a really good opportunity for the school and the students, we don't just have to go out and play on the back field anymore and here you can get more control over the ball and get better."

Des Bird, Headteacher said “Workington Academy continues to grow, and with that comes investment.

"We are really proud of this new facility and its been great seeing how our fantastic PE department are able to make best use of it. The pitch will be open for hire at an increasing range of times in the near future, and is floodlit for evening use.

Those interested in hiring the facility can contact office@workingtingtonacademy.org