Ref.10428THE controversial sale of a section of the playing field at Devizes School was claimed to be completely justified on Monday when a £525,000 all- weather pitch was officially opened.

The pitch was partly financed by the sale of a piece of land for housing, now part of the Sarum Drive estate. When it was first mooted, about ten years ago, there was uproar over the sale and Devizes Town Council attempted to have it stopped.

But there was no adverse comment on Monday when Coun Peter Veasey, chairman of Kennet District Council, cut a ribbon to officially launch the 5,400 square metre artificial pitch, one of the largest in Wiltshire.

Mr Veasey, who has a background in leisure centre management, said: "This splendid facility has taken eight years to reach completion and a lot of negotiation to finalise the finance."

Headteacher Malcolm Irons said bringing the project to completion had been a mammoth undertaking.

Among those invited to the launch was tennis star Anna Hawkins, a former pupil at Devizes School who was given her sporting impetus by the school.