BOLTON Lads and Girls Club is celebrating the success of its new £1.8m sports facility.

The floodlit, state-of-the-art, 3G artificial pitch, complete with sports pavilion, has been visited more than 10,000 times, since it opened in February.

More than 1,200 people have used the facility and the club hosted its first football tournament on the weekend of June 4 and 5, with 51 teams playing 150 fixtures over 1,630 minutes.

The Hacken Lane venue, in Darcy Lever, has also welcomed a North West independent inter-school tournament, been a base for the Lancashire FA to deliver accredited coaching, has held three Soccer Camps during the school holidays, and a charity five-a-side event for 15 local businesses.

Former Bolton Wanderers FC manager Sam Allardyce and legendary Liverpool defender Mark Lawrenson officially opened the centre in April.

Cllr Cliff Morris, leader of Bolton Council, said: “In the short time Hacken Lane has been up and running it has become a noticeable asset to the community to support our young people.

"It is one area I am particularly passionate about and it is why I have been a long supporter of the vision of the Bolton Lads and Girls Club.

"Barriers to inclusion and opportunities are broken down by projects like this; making huge progress working to empower the next generation.”

Plans to increase daytime usage by schools and colleges a full-time study and football programme, two new female teams, a new five-a-side league, and rounders matches are in the pipeline for the future.

BLGC chief executive, Karen Edwards OBE, said “We are grateful to our supporters for helping us achieve our vision of reaching more young people in the community and growing our football section, and we are delighted with how quickly this is happening.”

The new complex offers four changing rooms with disability access; two officials’ changing rooms; a community learning room; kitchen and office space, and benefits from new car parking facilities.

Bookings and sponsorship opportunities can be organised by contacting Andrew Tower, commercial manager, on 01204 540100 or at andrew.tower@blgc.co.uk