A SCHOOL left without play equipment after it was deemed unsafe was excited to open a new £10,000 fitness area.

Layer-de-la-Haye Primary School applied for National Lottery Funding so it could provide children with an opportunity to keep fit and have fun.

Staff were thrilled to hear their application had been successful and with an extra £3,000 input from teaching staff, the fitness area was created and officially opened.

Claire Murphy, school business manager, said: “We just want to say a massive thank you.

“We had a grand opening by the headteacher Trish Wilkie and chair of governors David Jones.

“Then 15 of the Year 4 pupils demonstrated how to use the equipment to the rest of the school.”

The equipment was installed as part of a Let’s Get Moving initiative by the school, to provide a safe play environment for pupils to overcome negative effects of low self esteem and emotional needs.

The wooden playground at the school has been condemned as unsafe during an inspection last year and was removed so the children have had no play equipment.

The new fitness area includes a balance beam, stepping stones, climbing wall and monkey bars for students to test their strength and have fun keeping fit.

The whole school attended the grand opening.