Harry the Hornet and coaches from Watford Football Club put pupils at Bovingdon Primary School through their paces as they tested the school’s new multi-use games area.

Children from Years 4 and 5 enjoyed sports sessions with Watford FC coaches yesterday afternoon, as the games area, which can be used for a variety of sports including football and netball, among others, was officially opened.

But it was when Watford FC mascot Harry the Hornet appeared that students could barely contain their excitement.

Friends Thomas and Kirsty, grinning from ear-to-ear, described how much they were enjoying their afternoon.

Kirsty, nine, from Bovingdon said: “It’s been a really great day and with the new games area we can play lots of different sports.

“My favourite is hockey, which I’m going to be playing here after-school.”

Thomas, nine, in Year 4, said: “It’s not every day that you see a giant wasp (sic) at school, not even in summer - Harry the Hornet is brilliant.

“We’ve been doing lots of exercises with coaches, which have been really fun.

“I think the new sports area is really great and can’t wait to play football.”

The site, which originally held an outdoor swimming pool, was funded thanks to donations from parents of schoolchildren and the sale of the caretaker’s house on the premises.

Claire Hughes, teaching and resources manager at the school, said: “An old swimming pool used to be here and we’ve spent hundreds of thousands on transforming it into this new multi-use games area.

“It’s a great resource for the kids and can be used for a variety of sports – the Watford coaches are putting it to great use.”

Martin Mangan, headteacher of Bovingdon Primary School, said: “The children are having a wonderful time and it’s great that the Watford coaches and Harry the Hornet have come to test our area.

“I’d like to thank everyone for their hard work and donations, the new sports facility is a brilliant addition to the school and to the Bovingdon area.”