A FLINTSHIRE rugby club has opened a new £250,000 state-of-the-art playing facility.

Mold Rugby Club's new 5G artificial pitch was opened last weekend and welcomed the first players to take advantage of the facility.

After years of playing on worn pitches that turned into muddy puddles when it rained, the 5G pitch was eagerly anticipated by the 350 children, aged from under five to 16, who call the club home.

It will also be the centre of the club's plan to create a community sports hub whereby the pitch will be available to hire for other rugby and sports clubs, schools, community groups and organisations who want to use it.

On Saturday Mold Rugby Club's mini section trained on the pitch - becoming the first to use the facility.

Aled Ellis, a trustee at the club, said: "“We received a grant from Sport Wales and the Welsh Rugby Union and we’re very grateful to them for their support.

“It is a rubber crumb synthetic grass surface the size of two five-a-side football pitches and it is more safe and modern.

“And for rugby, it will mean we can train full contact on there.

“We’re delighted we’ve been able to do this. It is going to be a brilliant facility for the community.”