Greater Manchester Mayor Andy Burnham attends ceremony for new school building in Wigan borough

Mr Burnham laid a brick and signed steel on the building at Fred Longworth High School in Tyldesley, along with staff and pupils.

Construction work is well under way on the £24m project and it is expected to be completed by the autumn.

The school site on Printshop Lane is being redeveloped, with the demolition of existing buildings and creation of new facilities, as well as the replacement and relocation of sports pitches, landscaping and car parking provision.

There will be a host of new facilities for pupils, including a sports hall and dance studios, while the school will also open for community use.

It is one of 50 schools across the country being transformed with new, modern, energy-efficient buildings through the Government’s 10-year school rebuilding programme.