THESE are the men who created Southampton's "Happy Valley'' - the team of workers who built one of the city's major amenities, the Sports Centre.

It was back in the 1930s that the group got together, with their flat caps straight and sleeves rolled up, for this unique photograph capturing a piece of city history.

Wendy Woodford sent the photograph to Hampshire Heritage after reading a recent feature about the Sports Centre, which was officially opened by the Duke and Duchess of Kent on Saturday, May 28, 1938.

"The only thing my husband can remember his father saying about it was: 'I was given a pair of boots to go and build the Sports Centre," says Wendy.

"My husband's father, Thomas Woodford, is in the middle of the back row, to the right of the young man who has a hand on his shoulder.''

It was Southampton's mayor at the time, Councillor GEH Prince, who dubbed the Sports Centre "Happy Valley'' when he told the Duke and Duchess about the transformation that had taken place on the site since it had been acquired by the council five years earlier.

At the time, the Sports Centre covered an area of 269 acres and cost £151,000 of ratepayers' money to construct.

Thousands of local people lined the Avenue and Winchester Road, as well as the Sports Centre itself, to see the royal couple. Before declaring the Sports Centre officially open, the Duke congratulated the council.

"You have provided facilities for a very great number of sports, and I feel sure these facilities will prove a great attraction to the fortunate inhabitants of Southampton,'' said the Duke.