A newly renovated astro pitch has been officially opened at a school in Bala.

Young members for the town's hockey club held their first training session on the new surface following a ceremony to mark the £250,000 upgrade at Ysgol Godre'r Berwyn.

Cyngor Gwynedd said the original pitch had reached the end of its lifespan after years of use by the school, sports clubs and the wider local community.

Work was completed last April on the refurbishment, which includes new LED floodlights and dedicated equipment such as goals and maintenance equipment.

Lynda Williams, chair of Bala Hockey Club, said: "Being able to officially open the new astro pitch is an extremely proud day for us as a club."

"This investment means that opportunities to play hockey will be able to continue in the Bala area for years to come and seeing so many U10 players on it in the first official session gives us hope that the club has a prosperous future."

The new pitch was made possible through a partnership between the hockey club, the school, Cyngor Gwynedd and Hoci Cymru.

Funding was made possible from Sport Wales, the Welsh Government, the Eryri National Park Authority, the Community Regenration Support Fund and Nuclear Restoration Services.

In addition, local sports clubs, town and community councils, businesses and individuals contributed to the project, with even the youngest members of the hockey club raising money by selling handmade bracelets.

Bala ward councillor Dilwyn Morgan said: "This brand-new astro pitch highlights the real value of working together for the benefit of our community."

"Everyone who contributed can be truly proud of their hard work and dedication in turning this ambitious vision into reality."

Paul Whapham, chief executive of Hoci Cymru, added: "This collaboration, supported by the Welsh Government and the joint efforts of Cyngor Gwynedd, Hoci Cymru and Sport Wales, is a significant step toward our vision to 'ignite a passion for hockey' across Wales, creating inclusive spaces that allow 'all to engage, compete and perform."

The project has yet to be completed with plans to install a new storage and team shelters expected to be completed in the coming months.

Owen Hathway, an assistant policy director at Sport Wales, said: "Using funding that is made available by Welsh Government, we work in collaboration with the Football Association of Wales, the Welsh Rugby Union and Hoci Cymru to make sure that we invest in the right types of artificial pitches in the right parts of Wales to meet demand."

"This project certainly stood out as one worth supporting as it will be a fantastic asset for the local community."