A teacher took a JCB to his school's gym - to make way for a state-of-the-art replacement.

Sports teacher Paul Hart started the demolition of the gym at Alleyn Court Prep School in Wakering Road, Great Wakering.

A new £300,000 sports hall is being built next to the existing gym, which is due to be officially opened next month.

Headteacher William Wilcox said the old gym was built about 15 years ago and needed replacing due to wear and tear.

He said the new sports hall will be the size of two badminton courts.

This will get the school facilities up to Sports Council standards, which will also benefit local clubs and groups who will be able to use them at evenings, weekends or bank holidays.

Mr Hart said he was looking forward to the opening of the new hall, but was also sad to see the old gym go.

He said: "I will be sad to see the old gym come down but the new facilities will provide such fantastic opportunities that we'll soon all forget about what we are destroying.

"Our new sports hall will not only benefit our pupils, we also hope that the local community will benefit from it too."

Smashing - PE teacher Paul Hart pulls down the old gym watched by expert Henry Layzell from JKS Construction

Pictures: STEVE O'CONNELL

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