SEVEN primary schools from across the Tees Valley have been awarded a share of National Lottery funding to help more children get active.

The investment from Sport England’s Primary Spaces Facilities Fund will enable the schools to improve their facilities to encourage more pupils to take part in physical education and school sport.

The seven schools are part of a select group as only 601 schools nationally will receive awards.

They will benefit from grants of up to £30,000 to fund features such as activity tracks and ball hoops as well as marking out their playgrounds for a variety of games. Some of the schools will also be able to open up their outdoor facilities to the local community.

Facilities will be developed over the summer holidays so that they are ready to be used at the start of the new academic year in September.

The Tees Valley schools receiving the money are: Corporation Road Primary School in Darlington; West Park Primary School in Hartlepool; Caldicotes Primary Academy in Middlesbrough; Oxbridge Lane Primary School in Stockton; and John Emmerson Batty Primary School, Grangetown Primary School and Zetland Primary School in Redcar and Cleveland.