AN Evesham school will celebrate the start of a million pound expansion project next week with an official sod cutting ceremony.

St Andrew's CE First School in Hampton will be welcoming local councillors including former pupil Cllr John Smith on Tuesday (February 25) to mark the start of the £1.1 million building project.

The new building at the campus, in Maryman's Rd, Evesham, will provide new accommodation including a reception classroom, new hall and administration suite as well as some internal refurbishment.

Cllr Smith who is also a former governor of the school and ex- pupil of the original Hampton School, said: "It will be a tremendous pleasure to visit St Andrew's and witness the start of the refurbishment of the school that I attended when it was the original Hampton school. As a former governor I still take a keen interest in the school and have no doubt that in the years to come local children will benefit from these improvements."

David Coaché, headteacher of St Andrews, added: "We are looking forward immensely to consolidating our main school building after twenty years of temporary space. Children, staff, governors and families are all very excited about this development which will significantly improve the facilities at St Andrew's when completed.

"The re-modelling of our school will hasten the realisation of our school vision, in offering the best possible environment in which individuals from our school community can thrive and succeed."

It has been funded by Worcestershire County Council with a contribution from the school and is expected to be ready for the start of the new school year in September and be fully complete in October.

Other guests at the cutting will include Cllr John Campion, cabinet member for transformation and commissioning, and Cllr Liz Eyre, cabinet member for children and families.

Cllr Eyre said: "St Andrew's is one of many schools set to benefit from money allocated by the county council to improve the condition of the buildings in schools in Worcestershire and ensure they are fit for purpose and able to provide adequate places for pupil in the coming years."