A Gwent secondary school is to receive a grant of £418,697 from the Big Lottery Fund to upgrade sports facilities.

The existing athletics track at Brynmawr School is to be modernised and new changing facilities are to be built.

The project is to provide new opportunities for the development of athletics in Blaenau Gwent and the surrounding area.

It will help to improve both curricular and extra-curricular activities for the school and local clubs. Local clubs Abertillery Achilles Athletic Club, Gilwern Harriers and the Women and Girls' Community Fit Club have already signed up to use the new facility.

Work is to start at the site later this year.

Councillor Lyn Elias, chairman of Brynmawr School's governors and ward member, said: "This is a facility that will enhance the lives of the young students and the adults within the community.

"For this we are extremely grateful, and we can now look forward with enthusiasm to the commencement of the scheme."

Council leader John Hopkins, a ward member for Brynmawr, said: "We are extremely pleased with the support this grant provides us for developing sporting facilities at Brynmawr.

"It offers both schools and the wider community an opportunity to participate in sporting activities using first-class facilities."

Since the programme was launched in 2001, eight schools across Blaenau Gwent have received a total of £1,834,000 from the fund.

Previous recipients of grants included Glyncoed Comprehensive, in Ebbw Vale, which received £262,398 for a new playing-field, while Abertillery Primary received £58,053.

Pontygof Primary, in Ebbw Vale, was awarded £48,531, and Georgetown Primary, in Tredegar, £20,000.

This is the final round of grants from the Big Lottery Fund's £50 million New Opportunities for PE and Sport programme. Almost £4 million has been awarded to 20 schools across Wales.