LLANWERN High School’s multi-million-pound sports development was officially opened yesterday with an international football match.

The school’s floodlit 3G pitch, which can be used in all weather, was opened with a Welsh School FA Under 18s and Australian Schoolboys match.

A reception held before the match was attended by John Griffiths, the Welsh Government’s minister for culture and sport and AM for Newport East, and Newport City Council’s deputy mayor, Cllr Trevor Watkins.

Mr Griffiths said: “It is fabulous to see that sort of development on my own patch.”

Bob Bright, Newport City Council leader and one of the school’s “very proud” governors, also attended.

Llanwern High School’s headteacher Peter Jenkins said the pitches were a sign of the “remarkable progress” the school had made since the development.

Three Llanwern High pupils, Lewis Jones, Jesse Victory and Tre Marrett, were included in the Welsh squad for the match.

Ross Davies, of Fairwater High School in Cwmbran, and Alex Jarman, who attends Chepstow Comprehensive, were also part of the 17-man squad.

Of the other three grass pitches which were built as part of the development, two will be used for football and one for rugby. They took a year to build and were part of the school’s £29 million rebuild.

The facilities have already been used by the Welsh Rugby League team when they stayed at the Celtic Manor Resort.

The pitch was laid by Magor-based South Wales Sports Grounds, designed by HLMN Architects and main contractors Leadbitter.

The 3G pitch contains sand banding to help drainage and the facilities will be used by Newport County, Newport Rugby Club and Hartridge High School Rugby Club.

The school will also host the Home Nations lacrosse championships later this year.