A GWENT primary school played host to a special guest on Friday morning as Olympic silver medallist and Newport Gwent Dragon player Sam Cross took time out of his busy schedule to open a new play area at Rhiw Syr Dafydd Primary School in Oakdale.

Funded mainly through the schools budget and £8,000 donated by the parent teacher association (PTA), the new multi-use games area was installed over the summer to make the playground a more structured place for children.

Brynmawr-born Mr Cross is good friends with the school’s reception teacher Ben Oliver from their time studying together at the University of Wales Institute Cardiff (UWIC), and he agreed to open the multi-purpose facility, which can be used for numerous sports including hockey, netball, football and cricket.

Dressed in his Team GB outfit, the rugby sevens star also showed of his Rio Olympic medal to the children as he made his way round each class in the school.

Mr Cross, 24, said: “It’s been very busy since I got back from Rio but it is great to come here and share the experience and everyone wants to hear about the stories and what went on over there.

“Coming here and meeting the children is all part of the legacy of the Olympics and our success. There hasn’t been many Olympic medals from our area so it’s good to tell the children about it and inspire the next generation across Gwent.”

Mr Oliver, 24, added: “We were in halls together at UWIC and when the head teacher Mr George was thinking about getting someone famous to open the school I asked Sam and he was more than happy to.

“We got on really well at uni with similar interests as I was in the Wales Rowing Squad and we have remained friends since, it’s mad the journey he has been on. We’ve already been using the play area this week and the effort that has gone into it is great.”

Several members of the PTA were also invited along on he day after they spent the last year holding a number of events, from discos, to fetes and cake sales, to raise the needed funds.

PTA chairwoman Karen Jones, who has three children in the school, said: “We are happy to be invited today and it is nice to be recognised. We have a core of 20 key members and most of the parents are really good at giving money.

“It’s great to see some of the benefits today from all the hard work we do.”