A BOWLS club at the heart of beautiful parkland hopes to mark its 125th year with a revamp of its green.

The South Park Bowls Club wants to lead a regeneration of the sport in Darlington and is currently applying for funds in a bid to make their club as accessible as possible.

Club members are now asking members of the public to share their opinions on ideas for the transformation of the green and how it could be used in the future.

A funding boost would allow the club to purchase new equipment and offer an improved range of facilities and services, including coaching sessions and bowling aids for the elderly and disabled people.

They also hope to make long lasting repairs to the green and to erect an enclosure to protect the facility and to provide a safe place for children to stay while bowling is underway.

A spokesman for the club said recent open days had proved demand for the sport is currently “immense” but that the team were hoping to make it even more accessible.

He added: “We would like to provide a sport for all, not just the few.

“Bowls in Darlington has faced difficulties including vandalism, bowlers being attacked and expensive equipment stolen.

“The proposed improvements aim to reduce these problems and allow the club to grow, returning the game to the public as a sport and as a spectacle.

“Our club is closing in on its 125th anniversary and it would be fantastic if this project was used to celebrate the future of the sport and not just remember the past.”

For more information on the club’s proposals, visit southparkbowls.co.uk.