A TABLE tennis club is seeking to attract more disabled players after it successfully secured almost £3,000 of funding.

The Bishop Auckland Table Tennis Club, set up three years ago, is based at the town's Bishop Barrington School and already has several disabled members.

The grant from the County Durham Community Fund will allow it to buy wheelchair friendly tables and Polybat tables where the nets are removed and the game is similar to air hockey.

Matt Porter, club chairman, said: “We have some disabled members already but this means that more disabled people can come along.

“We are very pleased to have got the funding. We have always wanted to do more on the disability side.

“So we took the opportunity to apply and we got the funding.”

The club caters for players aged from seven-years upwards and the current oldest player is 77.

It is to hold sessions for disabled players on Thursdays from April 2, between 5pm and 6pm with entry free for the first week and £2 after that.

On Mondays juniors play between 6pm and 7.30pm and adults from 7.30pm to 9.30pm. Then on Wednesdays from 6pm to 7.30pm women and girls play.

Then on Thursdays adults play between 7.30pm and 9.30pm and then on Friday juniors play between 6pm and 7.30pm.

Entry to sessions for non-disabled players is £2.50 per session.