A FORMER pupil's love of tennis has led to a new sports scheme at Rivington and Blackrod High School being started in her memory.

Pauline Lane was deputy head girl at the school in 1977/78 and was a big tennis fan, playing the sport during the summer and watching Wimbledon.

Mrs Lane, who lived at Crown Lane, Horwich, died two years ago from a heart attack, aged just 41. The regional manager for drinks company Coca-Cola left a fiance, stepson John and daughter Jennifer, now aged 17. And her family asked that, instead of flowers, donations in her memory should go to the school, at which Jennifer had also been a pupil.

The school was already planning to start a £170,000 community tennis scheme and so invited the family to contribute to it. Cash raised by the family was matched by Coca-Cola and £5,000 was handed to the school.

Jennifer and other members of Mrs Lane's family watched proudly yesterday as a plaque recognising the support given in her memory was unveiled in the sports hall by tennis commentator and former player Barry Cowan.

Jennifer said her mum would have been "very proud". The school, with the support of the local community and the Lawn Tennis Association, has invested £170,000 in new tennis facilities and a full-time tennis coach.

The County Tennis Programme will help support students at the school to excel in the sport -- as well as pupils at neighbouring primary schools -- with coaching being given after lessons and at weekends.

She said: "It is superb because my mum had always loved tennis and this is something which will always be there for generations of children to come."