THE tall and the short all had their eye on the ball at Horrabridge Primary School.
The occasion was the inauguration of the community's new basketball posts. A large crowd gathered to see Mayor of West Devon Margaret Garton do the honours by putting the first ball through the hoop.
She was joined by two members of the popular Plymouth Raiders — Nick Chatzinikolis and Michael Schantz — who gave a demonstration to enthusiastic onlookers.
'Unless the community wants this it isn't going to work — and the fact you are all here today means you want it,' said Mrs Garton.
'There are some pretty small people here today and it seems to me that if you play this sport you will end up as tall as the Raiders! Basketball clearly doesn't stunt your growth,' she joked.
The project was funded by the English Basketball Association's 'Outdoor Basketball Initiative' and the installation was paid for by Horrabridge Parish Council as a focal point for outdoor enjoyment by the young of all ages.
Chairman of the school governors and member of Horrabridge Parish Council, Jane Waterhouse, said both the school and parish council had been trying to create an area where the community's young could congregate and play.
'The school couldn't afford the basketball posts — and the parish council didn't have anywhere to put them. So we got together and the parish council offered to pay and the school allowed them to be installed here,' said Mrs Waterhouse.
Parent and basketball enthusiast Davina Fitzsimmons coaches the school basketball group of eight to 11-year-olds and is delighted with the outdoor posts.
'We started training four weeks ago indoors when we knew the basketball posts were coming. The children are now ready to start outdoors — and we are trying to get a school team sorted out,' she said.