A PLAN to extend Noremarsh Junior School’s Green Mile and open it up to running clubs is in the starting block.

The scheme, which is part of the complete replacement of the school’s outdoor play equipment, has just been given a £5,000 boost by the Royal Wootton Bassett and Cricklade Area Board.

Head teacher Andy Simpson said: “The sports equipment was nearing the end of its life and becoming dangerous and we wanted something better.”

The school council had been involved with the design and the first phase, including a new climbing frame, had been completed with the help of funding the school received for PE.

Now the school is working on extending its short running track, dubbed the Green Mile, and completing the loop around the field.

The total cost of the project is around £30,000 and the second phase – about £14,000 - is being funded with the help of the parent teacher association and the area board grant.

Chairman of the governors Ellen Woollaston-Cooper told the area board: “We would like other schools to be able to use it. We also want to open it up to other groups, including, possibly, the fire service.

“It would have to be school first and children of the community first,” she said. But if agreements were in place there was nothing to stop other community groups being able to make use of it.

She explained the pupils already did a wake and shake session in the morning, but some children didn’t like the idea of dancing around in the playground and preferred to run instead. The track would be attractive to those youngsters.

One of the groups supporting the project is Wootton Bassett Hounds and an agreement has already been drawn up with them. Some of the parents are members of the running club and are keen for younger members to use the track when it is completed.

“They want to do a youth club but they are not allowed to run with children on roads,” said Mr Simpson. “They needed somewhere to go.”

Although the track would be available for organised groups to use, it would not be open to the general public.

It means the facility will be used throughout the year, rather than just in school time.

The grant was one of four agreed at Wednesday’s board meeting. Cricklade Leisure Centre won £945 towards a public defibrillator to be sited outside the building and Purton Parish Council won £770 to improve a footpath used by schoolchildren.