A £1.5m sports hall complex has been officially opened at Didcot Girls School.

The ambitious project, that has taken four years to come to fruition, includes a multi-use hall, a smaller group room, and three sets of changing rooms with showers and toilets.

It was officially opened this week by two-time under 23 world champion and Olympic silver medallist rower Debbie Flood.

The ceremony was attended by staff, pupils, parents and civic leaders.

The scheme cost an estimated £1.5m and has been funded by Sport England, the Big Lottery Fund and Oxfordshire County Council.

The building has been named the Marjorie Randolph Sports Hall, in recognition of the years of service given to the school by Mrs Randolph, a former vice chair of Governors.

Pupils at the school have been using the new facilities since September and it is also available for community hire on weekday evenings.

Acting head Fernand Dierckens said the new complex was a huge boost to sports provision at the school. He added: "We have always had staff expertise and enthusiastic students but never adequate facilities to match."

"We can now provide more PE lessons for each year group and put on smaller groups."

The school is also looking forward to a new £1.2m ten-classroom teaching block that will house the English department. Mr Dierckens said the new building was due to be completed in November 2007.

He added: "This is all part of headteacher Paula Taylor-Moore's vision for 21st century learning."

Mrs Taylor-Moore is due to resume work in January after receiving treatment for breast cancer.