STUDENTS at a Burnley high school were jumping for joy today after hearing the school is to get more than £3 million towards a new sports develop- ment.

St Theodore's High School will receive a £3,314,337 Sport England Lottery Fund Award to benefit the whole community.

The money will be used to create a new sports hall, artificial turf pitch, a grass running track, a floodlit multi purpose sports area and to upgrade two existing grass pitches.

The total project cost is estimated to be £4,487,837.

The award has been made as part of the School Community Sports Initiative as the new sports areas will provide opportunities both for pupils and the local community to engage in a broad spectrum of sporting activities, including an extensive tennis programme.

St Theodore's already has a strong and established partnership arrangement with Burnley Council sports development unit and it is hoped the new facilities will help the Active Sports initiative and a series of coach education programmes.

Headteacher John Tat said: "This is excellent news for the school and Burnley. We are delighted that the patience and persistence shown by the project partners over the last seven years has finally paid off.

"This is an exciting development which will improve standards and provide wider opportunities in physical education and sport. On behalf of the school governors I would like to thank everyone who has been involved in the successful completion of this project as we look forward to a new era of school and community participation in sport."

Sheldon Philips, Sport England's regional director, said: "The School Community Sports Initiative encourages links between school and sport within local communities. This large award to St Theodore's confirms our commitment to community sport in an education setting and will provide a clear pathway from school to life long enjoyment of sport."