Sports minister Richard Caborn officially opened the £5.2m Litherland Sports Park in Sefton last month.

The facility, which opened to the public in June, boasts a 400m, six lane athletics track with a centre arena; three five-a-side floodlit synthetic turf pitches for football and hockey; team changing rooms and a 40-station Active Sefton fitness suite.

Funded by Sefton Council, the Football Foundation, the Big Lottery Fund, the South Sefton Partnership, Sport England, South Sefton Primary Care Trust (PCT), the Neighbourhood Renewal Fund, the Single Regeneration Budget, Sustrans, MerseyTravel and Sefton Sports Council – the centre also offers rehabilitation services for people with breathing difficulties.

Leigh Griffin, chief executive of the newly established Sefton Primary Care Trust, said: “This is a superb facility and South Sefton PCT's contribution reflects the desire of the local NHS to bring high quality services closer to the people they serve. It provides an ideal environment for people overcoming cardiac and pulmonary problems and will also play a wider role in helping local people to lead fun, healthy lives.”

Speaking at the official opening, Richard Caborn said: "I am delighted to be opening this fabulous new Sports Park. Thanks to the hard work of the local council, the Football Foundation, the Big Lottery Fund, Sport England and others, we have a wonderful new facility that will make a real difference to local people.

"It is through good quality facilities such as Litherland that we can continue to drive up participation in sport and helping those who regularly take part in sport as well as those who are just starting out." Details: www.sefton.gov.uk