CHILDREN at a Ramsbottom primary school were paid a special visit by England’s newly-appointed netball coach Tracey Neville.

Despite being appointed England’s netball coach two days earlier, the sports star still managed to take time to visit the pupils at Holcombe Brook Primary School before the Easter break.

Headteacher Ms Gill Evans said: “When Tracey was originally due to come, she found out she had been appointed England’s netball coach.

“She must have been really busy with interviews but she still came to see the children two days later.

“She spoke to the children in the afternoon in our assembly and did a question and answer session which lasted about 40 minutes.”

The school in Longsight Road started up a netball team of its own at the start of the year and pupils now compete in matches locally.

“The team plays well, they win some and they lose some like any team and we thought bringing Tracey in would be interesting for not only the children on the netball team but everyone else too,” said Ms Evans.

Tracey ran a practice session with pupils and spoke to them about her own experience with netball from starting in primary school to playing at a national and international level.

“She was a really good visitor to have; the children really enjoyed the day and she knew how to speak to them with ease,” added Ms Evans.

Tracey is back in the limelight on Saturday as coach of Manchester Thunder who take on Hertfordshire Mavericks in the Superleague semi-final at the Manchester Arena.

Tickets are still on sale for the match which could break the record for the the country’s biggest ever attendance at a domestic netball match.