Warwickshire cricket star Dougie Brown delivered a fine opening for a £180,000 sports pavilion at Hallfield School in Birmingham.

The all-rounder was invited to sports day at this leading independent prep school in Church Road, Edgbaston, to declare the new building open.

The pavilion was funded in part by donations made during the school's 125th anniversary celebrations and replaced a former timber structure, which fell into disrepair some years ago.

Hallfield has long links with Warwickshire Cricket Club and the school's chosen charity for the summer term was Cure Leukaemia, which Dougie is supporting by undertaking a sponsored Sahara trek in October.

Headmaster Clive O'Donnell said: "We are delighted that Dougie came to open the sports pavilion. The building marks the final stage of an extensive programme to upgrade Hallfield's playing fields, including football, rugby, hockey, rounders and athletics pitches and a cricket square.

"Much work has been done to bring the playing fields to a high standard for use by the school and the local community," he added.

The pavilion's facilities include changing rooms, showers and toilets, a tea room and servery, two store rooms and a disabled toilet.

Fundraising for the project started at a gala ball to celebrate the school's 125th anniversary in 2004.

Since then donations have been received from parents, from the Old Hallfieldian Society - which provided the pavilion's clock, cupola and weathervane - and from the Parents' Association. David Samworth, one of three Samworth brothers who attended Hallfield, was one major benefactor; a donation was also made by Mary Hackett, wife of former headmaster Raymond Hackett.

The pavilion was designed by architect Michael Ravenhill of Michael Edwards Associates and built by Logmoor Ltd of Highgate, Birmingham, with the project overseen by the David Gould Partnership.