An Arsenal player returned to his old stomping ground to hand out prizes to young footballers at the opening of a newly transformed sports pitch.

Catherine West MP cut the ribbon at the reopening of a resurfaced multi-use games court in Stationers Park, Crouch End, on Saturday.

The occasion was marked by an under 9s five-a-side football competition between four teams.

Myles Lewis-Skelly, a former Weston Park Primary pupil turned professional midfielder for Arsenal, came along to give out prizes and sign autographs. 

The event also marked the opening of an outdoor arboretum stage, which will serve as an outdoor classroom as well as a performance space.

Arsenal's Myles Lewis-Skelly with a young five-a-side football player on a resurfaced pitch in Stationers' Park where he used to practiceArsenal's Myles Lewis-Skelly with a young five-a-side football player on the now resurfaced pitch in Stationers' Park where he used to practise (Image: David Winskill)

The £40k project was a year in the making, with funds raised by the community and match funded by Haringey Council.

Chris Arnold, chair of the Friends of Stationers Park, said the pitch was previously for basketball practice and five a-side, but did not have proper goals, and had become very popular with skateboarders.

He said: "It was a big achievement. The whole thing was resurfaced, and the goals moved around to set us up for five a-side, we got there in the end. 

"Myles Lewis Skelly came along. He used to go to Weston Park school, he trained on that pitch for most of his life and he gave out all the prizes at the end.

Catherine West MP at the opening of a multi-user games pitch in Stationers' ParkCatherine West MP at the opening of a multi-use games pitch in Stationers' Park (Image: David Winskill)

"Catherine West came to open it for us, which I thought was very good because she's now a junior minister but she still finds the time for grassroots stuff.

"There was great weather, great turnout," Chris added.

A young goalie playing five-a-side football on a resurfaced pitch in Stationers' ParkA young goalie playing five-a-side football on a resurfaced pitch in Stationers' Park (Image: David Winskill)

"Before they didn't have proper goal posts and it wasn't set up for five-a-side but now swapping it all around you can have proper games now so all the local schools can now use it."

Mr Arnold added they will be building a puppy park soon for people to train their dogs.

He said: "We really have transformed the park. It's our mission to make it a community park."