BLACKBURN now boasts some of best athletics facilities in the country, after the official opening of a newly laid running track and spectator stand.

The George Kirby Stand has been named after the president of Blackburn Harriers Athletics Club, and it was the final addition to major £3 million development work in Witton Park.

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The stand has been built into the side of a state-of-the-art indoor training stadium, which was completed last year and sits beside the full outdoor track.

Tony Wood, the club’s chairman, said the club had been hoping to build a stand since the 1960s.

He added: “The stand is absolutely fabulous, and we’ve also got a brand new track and throwing cage, and a wonderful indoor facility. It makes us one of the leading clubs.”

Many of the club’s athletes starred for Great Britain at London 2012, including Samantha Murray, from Clitheroe, who secured a silver medal for modern pentathlon, Burnley’s Sophie Hitchon, who broke the British record to qualify for the hammer final, and Chorley’s Holly Bleasdale, who came sixth in the pole vault.

Mr Kirby, 92, who has been involved with the club since the 1950s and was also the Lancashire Telegraph’s athletics correspondent for many years as well as being an official at national athletics events, said: “This is the nicest athletics centre in the country in my view, and this stand completes it.”

The facilities have been funded by Blackburn with Darwen Council.

The club hosted its first meeting of the season on Saturday, with a short ceremony in which mayor Alan Cottam officially opened the new stand.

He said: “It’s a privilege and a pleasure to be involved in the event.

“The combination between the council and the Harriers has demanded such a facility over the years and it’s wonderful to see it come to fruition.

“It’s a wonderful testament to the Harriers and the council that we can spend money in the right places and get these facilities on the ground.”