PUPILS at two Winchester secondary schools are set to reap the benefits of a seven-figure cash boost.

County chiefs have given the go-ahead to new construction work worth more than £2.5m at two Winchester secondary schools.

Perins in Alresford will receive a new two-storey sports block complete with facilities including a PE classroom, a dance studio, a health and fitness suite and changing facilities.

The Westgate will get a new administrative wing, an upgraded science block and a new classroom.

County council bosses will give out more than £1m towards the cost of the work at Perins and more than £500,000 towards the Westgate developments.

The schools themselves and central government grants will finance the rest of the money.

The new building at Perins will mean that the sports college will be able to deliver high-quality sports education for its pupils, provide health and fitness clinics for the local community and offer sports science facilities for minority sports both locally and nationally.

Work should start this May and be finished during January 2005.

Janice Bernard, head teacher, said: "We are absolutely delighted that we are starting to see our plans come to fruition."

The school hopes to complete a second stage which would include a new sports hall, subject to extra funding sometime in the future.

The work at The Westgate completes a long-term development plan and should be completed in December after eight months of work.

Peter Jenner, head teacher, said: "The upgrading of the science labs is part of developing our specialist status. They will be very much state-of- the art and one of them will be used by our feeder schools."

Hampshire County Council's buildings, land and contracts panel approved the design proposals of both projects yesterday. The plans should be given the final endorsement by council chiefs on February 19.