A KEEN tennis player has enlisted the support of Williton Parish Council in his bid to establish a purpose-built tennis club in the village.

Barry Hughes, of Larviscombe Road, Williton, got the ball rolling at Monday night's meeting of the parish council when he outlined his ideas for the new club.

He told councillors such a club could only boost community spirit and encourage youngsters to take an interest in the sport.

He envisaged coaching sessions, inter-club competitions and even in-house contests between club members.

He was also open to suggestions that club facilities could be combined to include equipment for cricketers and golfers to use as well.

He told the meeting: "Everyone I have spoken to about this thinks it is a wonderful idea but I have to form a committee and find people who know about applying for grants."

He believed money should be forthcoming from the National Lottery subsidiary, the Sports Council, as West Somerset was seen as a high priority area for funding.

But the first task of the committee would be to identify possible sites for the estimated £100,000 four-court project, complete with floodlights and a club house.

Suggestions made at the meeting included developing the Memorial Ground or sharing existing facilities at Danesfield Community School.

Cllr Bill Vaughan said: "It is a shame there are a number of acres of land around the village, particularly around the trading estates, which have been empty for at least 20 years but can only be used by industry."

He thought it would be impractical to use the Memorial Ground and said any new club would have to have hardcore courts with floodlighting.

He added: "The grass courts belonging to the previous Williton Tennis Club began breaking up and that is what ultimately led to the club's demise."

Councillors agreed to support Mr Hughes in principle, and appealed for anyone willing to help him form a committee and take the project further forward to contact him on 01984 632008.

l Councillors renewed their plea for a community-spirited resident to take over the reins of the annual Christmas Fun Night.

Traditionally, schoolchildren entertain passers-by with singing and dancing while younger visitors enjoy a free ride on a roundabout or pay a visit to Father Christmas.

Last year, Santa was based at the Egremont Hotel for the fun night before heading off to visit residential and nursing homes and taking pride of place in a procession through the village.

The parish council wants villagers to take over the responsibility of running the event and anyone interested in lending a hand should contact clerk Jean Tillotson on 01984 633979.

l The football pitch at the Recreation Ground will be staying put and not rotated 90 degrees as suggested at the last council meeting.

Cllr Vaughan said that at the moment water collected at the doctors' surgery end of the pitch on one wing, but if the pitch was rotated that water would then be right across the centre of the ground and in the goal area.

He said: "There were difficulties with surface water when the pitch was positioned there before and there were a lot of cancellations."

The council had suggested moving the pitch after complaints from neighbours about footballs being kicked into their gardens and damaging property.

Councillors decided to investigate the possibility of putting up protective nets at the end of the affected gardens.