CORONATION Street brickie Jason Grimshaw went back to school to brush up on his construction skills.

Actor Ryan Thomas picked up tips in the trade of his Weatherfield persona from students at Castlebrook High School's new construction centre.

He officially opened the £260,000 centre, which provides facilities and workshops for pupils studying for the school's new construction GCSE and boasts specially designed suites for trowel skills, joinery, painting and decorating and information communication technology.

Castlebrook, in Parr Lane, Unsworth, became the first school in the borough to offer construction as a GCSE subject in September, allowing students to learn practical skills needed to fill a shortage of skilled labour in the construction trade.

The course is expected to become more popular in future years - 49 pupils have enrolled for the next academic year. Bury College will also use the centre for construction courses from September.

Castlebrook headteacher Tony Roberts said: "People can use these qualifications to get skilled jobs in the construction industry but also go on to study as chartered surveyors or architects. There is a lot of regeneration planned for Bury and we're creating the skills necessary to meet the demand. We're also trying to challenge the stereotypes of the industry so I'm particularly pleased that we have ten girls on the course."

The new centre is sponsored by international construction company Costain.