ALTON mayor Derek Gardner has officially opened community sport courts in Anstey Park - and he was assisted last Wednesday by the ladies of Alton Ants Netball Club.

The courts, which have been marked out for netball, tennis, basketball and football, also feature a two-sided ball wall to practice skills, as well as a new set of floodlights and a new dug out.

Prior to cutting the ribbon, the mayor said how delighted he was that “local residents now have the opportunity to use the superb new public use courts” - a facility that enhances the variety of free recreational facilities offered by Alton Town Council across the town and provides Alton Ants with much-needed outdoor courts.

The former courts fell into a state of disrepair some years ago, but following a public consultation in the summer of 2016, and lobbying by Alton Ants Netball Club, the town council agreed to allocate more than £100,000 of developer contribution funding toward the project, with additional grants secured through district councillors, the Tesco Bags of Help scheme, and Hampshire Playing Fields Association.

Mr Gardner said: “Alton Town Council is pleased to provide this new facility, complete with new floodlights, for the community. As a town, we are very fortunate to have a site such as Anstey Park and this corner of the park, transformed by both this project and the trim trail installed last year, forms part of the council’s overall open spaces strategy to provide residents with more free-to-use sports facilities to encourage improved health and wellbeing.”

Judy Talbot, from Alton Ants, said: “We are really pleased that following our campaign the council has delivered by investing in new surfacing and outlay and design with a great ball exercise wall and a dugout. The girls are looking forward to using the two courts.”

She added: “Alton Red Ants were runners-up last season in the Diamond Division with the Black Ants securing runners-up spot in Division Two and promotion to Division One. The Jumper Ants were third in the Third Division having narrowly missed out on second place, but with everything to play for next season. All the girls are therefore excited about the new courts and the opportunities that will follow.”

And she added: “The club also secured new sponsorship last winter from Ski Autos in Aldershot and from The Poacher Inn in South Warnborough, so it’s exciting times ahead!”

Anyone interested in joining Ants Netball Club should e-mail [email protected].