A new playing field which has improved sporting space for people in Rawcliffe has been officially opened.

Yesterday at a special ceremony at Rawcliffe Recreation Association in St Mark's Grove, Bob Eccles, former chairman of Rawcliffe Parish Council, officially opened the new games area

And during the afternoon there were displays by the junior football teams and the netball teams that have already benefited.

The Rawcliffe Recreation Association, set up to manage the playing fields on behalf of the parish council, received Sport England National Lottery funding of almost £152,000 towards the project.

But it also managed to raise £91,000 itself through contributions from Rawcliffe Parish Council and City of York Council, local business sponsorship as well as fundraising events.

Bob Winspear, chairman of the association said the facility had been regularly used since its completion earlier this year.

He said: "There's a huge demand for it because there has been an explosion of junior football activities in the area.

"And the Rawcliffe Netball Team, which could no longer use the court they were using because it had deteriorated, are using it as well.

"We hope it really takes off this winter as well because it is floodlit, which is new."

Bob Eccles said it was a real honour for him to officially open the games area after such a lot of hard work had been put in to realising the project.

He said: "The playing field has gone from strength to strength and the official opening of the new games area is just another mark of achievement.

"I feel very honoured indeed to be invited to open the facility.

"It means that we will be able to school at an younger age in the finer points of football and other sports like netball."

Updated: 08:33 Monday, August 20, 2001