Bradford City captain Stuart McCall officially opened Oakbank School's fiotness suite during a special opening evening last week.

The midfield star, who led City climb into the Premier League, praised the work of the school -- and it's links with the community.

The fitness suite is designed for use by students at the school and has state-of-the-art equipment to be used by local sports clubs and individuals outside school hours.

Helen Plimmer, the school's director of sport and PE, said: "People can come along and pay as they go or have monthly membership."

The fitness centre has qualified fitness instructors and specialist equipment for testing the health of people using the centre in order that they can produce tailor-made fitness programmes.

Representatives of local sporting clubs, organisations and the business community were invited along to see the school's fitness suite in action, and were also told about future plans.

The school had its Sports College status reinstated last November, but needs to raise a further £30,000 in sponsorship by August. The money is needed to complete the 'matched funding' required by the Department of Education and which will go towards their next project -- a £250,000 all weather pitch.

"We plan to get that up and running around the beginning of September to coincide with extra year seven and eight pupils through local schools reorganisation," Helen said.

Future projects include the development of a social club complete with bar facilities.

Oakbank has a four-year development plan for the sports college which will see it become a centre for sporting excellence throughout the area.

n Bradford City skipper Stuart McCall, centre, opens the new Oakbank fitness suite with fitness instructor Will Smith, left, and director of sport Helen Plimmer

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