Natasha Whale tragedy: New school pitch named after pupil who died in crash

The all-weather surface was unveiled at Ryders Hayes School in Pelsall.

Year 6 pupils marked the occasion with an inter-house netball competition in a fitting tribute to sporty 13-year-old Natasha, a keen footballer who played for Wyrley Pumas and Burntwood Phoenix.

Her mum Shelley Whale attended the ceremony and thanked Ryders Hayes for naming the facility after her daughter.

She said: "This is an amazing tribute to Natasha - a very special girl, who was beautiful on the inside and outside."

The school secured funding from Sport England to build the new facility.

PE teacher Jack Phillips said: "Natasha was a keen footballer at the school with huge amounts of sporting talent.

"Ryders Hayes hope that naming the pitch after Natasha will inspire current pupils to pursue their sporting goals."

He added: "Due to the school's limited space for PE and the high number of children at the school, Sport England awarded the school a grant to built a new sports pitch on their school field last summer.

"The pitch, designed for children of all ages in the school, will be used for PE lessons and extra-curricular clubs in Netball, football and other activities."

Natasha was killed in February 2014 on the way to Walsall Academy, where she attended at the time, when the car was involved in a collision with an Adams Tours coach on Valley Road in Blakenall.

She had been sitting in the back seat at the time.

In tribute to her Burntwood Pheonix FC played in a tournament named after Natasha last February to mark one year since she died.

They had previously launched balloons and held a minute's silence to commemorate their former teammate.

The club has also retired her number 2 shirt as a further tribute to her.

Road markings have since been put in place at the scene of the crash after it emerged there were no 'give way ' signs when the collision occurred.