School pupils filled the playground in festive mood to celebrate the opening of their new extension.

The children at Wilmslow Grange Primary School and Nursery in Handforth welcomed Cheshire East mayor Wesley Fitzgerald who unveiled the two-storey extension with two new classrooms, new library and extra parking spaces.

The pupils entertained the guests by showcasing their musical talents. The steel pans group played two Christmas songs and the choir sang the Wilmslow Grange 50th birthday song.

There was a reception for guests which included governors, councillors, staff involved in the design, planning and construction of the extension, headteachers past, present and future.

Year 6 pupils then took guests on guided tours of the building.

Joanne Ashcroft, headteacher, said: "The new building is of a fantastic quality and the resources within it are top class.

"The children at Wilmslow Grange are delighted with their brand new building."

The cost of the extension was £900,000, paid for by Cheshire East Council’s capital programme.

The school needed the extra space to accommodate a growing number of children in the catchment area applying to attend the school.

Coun Barry Burkhill and coun Dennis Mahon, Independent Cheshire East councillors for Handforth, met education officers at the council in the summer of 2013 to discuss the problem.

It was decided to recommend the expansion of the school to provide 315 pupil places, 105 places above the existing capacity.

This was agreed at the School Organisation Sub-Committee in September 2013 that this would go ahead and a planning application was later approved.

Coun Barry Burkhill, who attended the unveiling event, said: “We had become increasingly concerned that the number of first preference applications from residents living within the school’s catchment area had for the last four years exceeded the 30 places available.

“For 2012 and 2013 this number has actually been double the available places.

“An eighth classroom was made available by converting the former IT suite for the 2013 admission so that Cheshire East in agreement with the school could admit 45 pupils to ensure places for local families.

“We are very pleased to see that no time has been wasted in beginning and completing the new extensions and are sure that Handforth parents will be pleased with the result.”