Olympic sprint kayaker Tim Brabants has helped mark the opening of a new £1.8m indoor fitness facility at Kirk Hallam Community Technology and Sports College, Derbyshire.

Derbyshire County Council (DCC) provided funding for a new four-court sports hall and a fitness suite, which has been equipped with a range of Matrix machines. Artificial grass pitches have also been constructed as part of the scheme, although that part was jointly funded by the government and the Football Foundation.

Jon Blanchenot, head of physical education at the college, said: "We were determined to visit as many possible funding streams as possible in order to carry out the much-needed improvements in our indoor facilities. "The Matrix Fitness equipment has enabled us to bring a totally new dimension to our core PE and lessons and our extra curricular provision."