MADLEY Tennis Club’s ladies’ team are now playing among the elite of Herefordshire and Worcestershire’s tennis clubs all the year round.

The villagers capped their promotion from Division Two of the H&W Slazenger League, when they won the competition, at the end of the 2011-2 season by finishing as runners-up in the summer league.

This means that they are now playing in Division One in both the summer and winter leagues. “This is a major achievement for such a small rural club and the first time in the history of Madley Tennis Club that the ladies’ team have been in Division One for both the summer and winter leagues,” said captain Chris Snell.

“It is quite an achievement when you consider that we have to play, among others, Stourbridge Ladies ‘A’ who have the benefit of 16 courts, many county players, coaches and facilities better than we can dream of.”