Sport has received a major boost with news that a Co Antrim leisure and sporting facility has completed another development.

Newtownabbey Borough Council has unveiled the latest stage of a £3.6m investment into local sports facilities.

Council delegates were recently on hand at the Valley Leisure Centre to officially open three new additions to the centre's facilities.

The Mayor, Alderman John Scott, was joined by the architects, contractors and Sport Northern Ireland representatives to view the latest additions to facilities.

Playzone, a new soft play attraction at the centre, has been up and running for the past few weeks, offering slides, flumes and a climbing wall.

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Alan Strong, Board Member of Sport Northern Ireland, also unveiled the centre's brand new wooden sprung sports hall floor.

The hall will host sports such as netball, roller hockey, table tennis, events connected to the special olympics and even cheerleading.

The new floor will benefit sports people of all levels, as the sprung surface is much easier on participants' joints.

Alderman Scott said: "Newtownabbey Borough Council is delighted to have received 100% funding from Sport Northern Ireland.

"The new wooden sprung floor is a great asset for Newtownabbey Borough Council's flagship leisure centre."

Also commenting, Alan Strong added: "This funding is part of a £3.6m investment from the Places for Sport: Surfaces Programme, and demonstrates our commitment to improving and creating new facilities in order to encourage people of all ages and abilities to take part in regular sport and physical activity."

A newly renovated pavilion was officially opened by Deputy Mayor Alderman Paula Bradley.

The facility now provides bright, clean facilities to various sports codes such as football, rugby, and hockey - catering for seven grass pitches and a synthetic pitch.

(PR/BMcc)