A VILLAGE tennis club's courts have been upgraded with a new surface.

Wellington Tennis Club now has three courts complete with AstroTurf surface.

The courts were officially opened on Saturday by president of the Herefordshire and Worcestershire Lawn Tennis Association Ian King.

The courts are behind Wellington School and both the Wellington Tennis Team and Three Counties Tennis team play there.

During the winter Wellington FC use the site as a five-a-side pitch.

Wellington Tennis Club chairman Marc Willimont said in his speech at the official opening: "It became obvious to us that our original surface, which was laid in 1996, had come to the end of its life, splitting to the point at which it had become dangerous and unplayable for tennis.

"We therefore consulted with our football club counterparts who also share this facility and agreed that we had to replace it."

They then sought £43,000 funding and were awarded £18,000 from Tarmac and £5,000 from Severn Waste.

Herefordshire Council provided nearly £16,000 from section 106 planning money, which was already earmarked for recreational purposes arising from two recently constructed housing estates.

Wellington Community Association donated more than £3,000, thanks to chairman Barry Corbett and treasurer Keith Brimley. Jenni Gowan pledged the remaining £1,000 needed from the Geoff Gowan Memorial Fund, in memory of her late husband who put money aside for sporting and community projects such as this.

Neighbouring farmer Dick Makin let the club store the sand on his land and also allowed skips to be sited on his farm.

Mr Willimont thanked everybody who donated both time and money.