Two state-of-the-art hockey pitches will be built ahead of the Women’s Hockey World Cup in England next summer.

The pitches, costing £600,000, will be constructed at Lee Valley Hockey and Tennis Centre in the Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park.

They will remain in place after the tournament, providing new facilities for Great Britain’s national and development squads, as well as university, school and hockey clubs.

The investment by UK Sport, The National Lottery, England Hockey and the Greater London Authority, also means London will have world-class pitches in place for the newly created Pro League in 2019, through which teams will now qualify for the Olympics.

“This funding means every stage of the hockey pathway, from junior to elite, will benefit from the Women’s Hockey World Cup," said Esther Britten, head of major events at UK Sport.

“It's a fantastic example of the benefit of the UK hosting a major sporting event.”

The pitches have been developed from those used during Rio 2016, where the women’s team won Gold after a penalty shootout against the Netherlands.

Funding from the organisations supports existing investments made by Lee Valley Regional Park Authority and Polytan, the global supplier to International Hockey Federation.

The Vitality Women’s Hockey World Cup consists of 16 teams and will take place from 21 July to 5 August 2018.