A WIRRAL school has been given a share of £224,000 Lottery funding to upgrade swimming pool heating and lighting.

Calday Grange is one of five Merseyside schools to benefit from the cash, which will be invested in improving sports facilities across the region.

National Lottery funding to the tune of £16.6m has this week been awarded to 310 projects across the UK.

The investments will bring big improvements to local facilities from new playing surfaces to floodlights and better changing rooms. At least £20 million more will be offered through two further funding rounds.

Elsewhere on Merseyside the cash will enable  Mersey Bowmen Tennis Club in Liverpool to carry out  clubhouse modernisation; West Park RFC, St Helens to refurbish changing rooms; Ainsdale Cricket Club, Sefton to renovate changing facilities and Deaf Active, Liverpool to carry out upgrading work to their premises.

Sport England's chief executive, Jennie Price, said: "We have had such a fantastic response from sports clubs to "Inspired Facilities" that we’ve reached our target of making 1,000 grants a year early. Demand remains strong so will offer a further £20 million of funding over the next 15 months."

Hugh Robertson, the Minister for Sport and Tourism, said: "Six months on from the start of the London 2012 Games, we have extremely strong foundations in place for the sports legacy.

"The Places People Play programme goes from strength to strength and this £16.6m investment will improve facilities at local sports club across the country, encouraging participation and giving people more opportunities to get involved in sport."