FACILITIES at Marley Activities and Coaching Centre in Keighley are to receive a boost.

It is amongst sites in the Bradford district which will benefit from a huge cash injection, including funds from the Premier League and Football Association.

A commitment of £7 million from Bradford Council will be bolstered with additional funding from the Premier League, the FA and the Government's Football Foundation.

The council funding is part of its wider Sports Pitches Investment Programme, which has already seen cash spent on sports facilities across the district, including the creation last year of Wyke Community Sports Village.

The latest investment will fund major work to turn Marley and Myra Shay recreation ground in Bradford into sports hubs, similar to Wyke Community Sports Village. It will also support improvements at various other football and cricket sites, council grass pitches and a number of 'play zones', with a second 3G pitch at Wyke also planned.

Bradford is one of six councils in the country which was chosen to bid for funding from the Football Foundation's Hubs Programme pilot.

Councillor Sarah Ferriby, portfolio holder for healthy people and places at Bradford Council, met with Football Foundation chief executive officer Robert Sullivan for a tour of Wyke Community Sports Village and to discuss the investment plans.

She said: "The success of this wonderful facility in Wyke has shown what we can do with the right investment.

"Access to good sports pitches like the one we have at Wyke and at similar facilities across the district is a vital part of our ambition to support people's health and wellbeing. I'm excited to see what can be delivered thanks to the foundation's commitment to Bradford district in terms of new projects and improvements to existing services."

Mr Sullivan said: "Bradford Council is a great partner, and its £7m investment – alongside funding from the Football Foundation – will create a new generation of great community sports facilities across the district.

"Thanks to our funding partners the Premier League, the FA and the Government, the Football Foundation is working to deliver brilliant facilities across the country like these in Bradford so that everyone can have access to great places to play."

The funding is part of a wider programme of investment which also sees money being made available from other partners such as the Lawn Tennis Association, England and Wales Cricket Board and Rugby Football League.