Students at St Mark's Catholic School in Hounslow were cock-a-hoop as they celebrated the opening of their new £2 million sports hall with netball and basketball demonstrations.

Former headteacher David Sheath yesterday returned to the school in Bath Road - where he ruled the roost from 1986-2001 - to open the new hall, named in his honour.

The facility, which includes new changing rooms, a PE office and an activities studio, was also blessed by Father Derek McGuire, from St Michael and St Martin Church next door.

Once the plaque was unveiled, pupils put the hall to the test by playing netball and basketball and sweating it out on the rowing machines, as their stats were uploaded live to the interactive smart board in the studio.

The hall was designed by architect Catherine Ramsden, who works for Useful Simple Projects, a company run by St Mark's old boy Ed McCann. It was partly paid for using a £1.25 million grant from the Education Funding Agency.

As well as helping the school maintain its prowess on the football pitch, where it won the Minute Maid Boys Middlesex County Cup in 2007, the hall is fostering some more left-field pursuits.

Year nine student Ciara Egan has been using it to practice her Irish dancing after school, enabling her to perfect her routine ahead of competitions.