A SKATE park, football pitch and climbing boulder are among the facilities on offer at Phoenix Park, which was officially opened at the weekend.

Mayor of Halton, councillor John Swain, swung into action to mark the event, with the help of Marie Bracegirdle, aged nine, who won the competition to name the £2.4 million youth activity park.

Marie chose the name Phoenix because the park had risen from the ashes of the site of the former Norton Priory High School, which burnt down, and Norton Recreation Centre.

The park has had huge investment from Halton Borough Council, Sport England and the European Regional Development Fund as part of projects to regenerate the Castlefields area.

In the first two months that it has been open, more than 12,000 visitors have tried out Phoenix Park's facilities.

During the official opening, there were even more attractions including a bucking bronco rodeo bull, laser quest and an assault course.