PUPILS and staff in Ilkley have paid tribute to a man who has helped boost school sport across the Wharfe Valley.

Peter Blackwell set up the local Primary Sports League (PSL), including an astroturf football league, in 2001 and it has been running ever since.

The scheme, established to provide a framework for sports coaching and inter-school competition, has been backed by Year 9 and 10 Sports Leaders from Ilkley Grammar School (IGS) which hosts the games on its ground and playing fields.

Mr Blackwell, who worked with schools from the Two Valleys Learning Collaborative, has now decided to retire - and local students and teachers gathered at IGS in the summer to recognise his achievements and wish him well.

Richard Fletcher, a Year 4 teacher from Ben Rhydding Primary School, said: "In all the years I’ve known Peter - since the Middle School days - he has always worked hard to increase the opportunities for generations of children to participate in school sport, which is fantastic.

"The primary school leagues have been superb and I know the children at Ben Rhydding have thoroughly enjoyed participating in them.

"I’ve always been impressed with the range of sports and the way he adapts them for the children and facilities we have available to us.

"Peter's impact has gone further than just the astro-turf, sports hall or playing field; the children bond together over the events he organises which helps create a school identity and gives them a pride in representing their school."

The quality of the PSL (and the vital contribution of IGS's Sports Leaders) has been repeatedly recognised by Ofsted, teachers, parents and independent observers.

Thousands of local primary school pupils have gained their first experience of inter-school competition in the league.

In 2017-18 alone the PSL created more than 7,000 opportunities for pupils from Wharfe Valley schools to represent their school in competitive sport, supported by IGS students.

One grateful parent said: "We have seen the incredible effort that Mr Blackwell has dedicated to running the primary school programme and we personally know of no other school in the district or even wider that offers this breadth of opportunity."

Mr Blackwell says he is now looking forward to playing more golf and enjoying some Spanish sunshine.