THERE was plenty of home support for Darlington Football Club chairman George Reynolds yesterday when he opened the £100,000 hall he built for his village school.

Until their millionaire neighbour brought in his builders, the 83 pupils at Witton-le-Wear primary faced a half-mile trek at the start of every PE lesson and had to eat lunch in their classrooms.

With the building up and running, the school now has space for a library and assemblies, children can put on shows and, most of all, can enjoy sports and games without having to walk to the community centre across the village.

Soon, the hall will be used as a base for the school's new computer suite, but yesterday it was a scene for celebration as parents joined staff and children for a Christmas fair.

Mr Reynolds, whose Witton Hall home is just round the corner from the school, said he had been pleased to help.

He said: "Our kids today are tomorrow's future.

"We have to keep our schools alive, especially the smaller schools, because they play a very important part in our communities."

Durham County Council has fitted out the hall but could not have afforded to pay for the building, said Councillor Bob Pendlebury.

Headteacher Michael Clough said: "We have now been provided with a valuable facility that will be of lasting benefit to the children in our community.

"It has made a huge difference to our school.

"It has made our lives so much easier in all sorts of different ways."