A SPORT stigmatised as being for 'toffs' and country estate owners is growing in Herefordshire with the message that anybody can play.

Eardisley is the only croquet club in Herefordshire which plays the full form of the game and organisers now want to expand the sport with the creation of a club in Hereford.

Brian Shorney, from Clehonger, is also Chairman of Council of The Croquet Association (CA), the National Governing Body for the sport, and a member of Eardisley Croquet Club.

Due to the growth of the Eardisley club Shorney would like to see the sport grow in the county.

He said: "Very little is played in Herefordshire which is a great shame and we only have one club which is very small and part of the tennis club at Eardisley.

"Over the last couple of years we have established a court there and membership is on the increase. We had our first club trophy croquet trophy which was competed for during 2017.

"In the near future we are going to try and establish a club in Hereford as the city has all the right demographic for the sport and I'm sure we will be able to form a club that is competitive on a national and international level.

"There is also a small number of people playing the game at Luctonians but they only play a simpler form of the game. Herefordshire is like a croquet desert while in Gloucestershire and the South West the sport is pretty well supported."

Shorney wants to encourage youngsters into the sport and the Croquet Association is looking at taking the sports into schools for children to try in the future.

He added: "We have a lot of leagues and until the last four or five years Great Britain dominated all the world events although recently they have been overtaken by New Zealand.

"One problem we have got is that there isn't the youngsters coming through as they are so much better at playing than those at a ripe old age. We don't have the skill of those in their 20s and that is that New Zealand and Australia have overtaken us as they have been able to attract more youngsters to the game.

"Nationally we are trying to get the game played in much more schools and universities. It's a minority sport but is growing quite fast and is an amazing game which people think is played by 'toffs'. That was true 100 years ago but is now not the case.

"The club in Cheltenham is the largest club in the country and probably has the best facilities in the world."

Eardisley Croquet Club runs through the summer months from Easter onwards and club afternoons are Tuesday 2pm to 5pm for Association Croquet and Thursdays 2pm to 5pm for Golf Croquet

For more information on Eardisley Croquet Club visit their website at: Tony on: 01544 340287 or for membership details please contact Norma on 01544 327540.