A TABLE tennis academy has expanded into bigger premises after a successful debut year that has seen membership numbers swell to around 100.

The Darlington Table Tennis Academy was formed last year to revive the town?s dwindling table tennis scene, which has reduced from 72 teams in the 1980s to just two divisions and a dozen teams.

The academy already runs sessions at Longfield Academy and has now opened weekly evening sessions at the sports complex at King's Church, on Whessoe Road.

Academy secretary Giulio Pontone said the club's success was great news and he hoped that the new sessions at King?s Church would open it up to even more people.

He added: "When we set it up we thought there is bound to be people out there that are interested, but the uptake has been tremendous.

"I think the link with Longfield and the after-school clubs has really helped get quite a lot of youngsters come through the club and that is what we are trying to do with other schools."

The academy runs junior and adult sessions at Longfield Academy on Thursdays from 6.30pm to 8.30pm and the King's Church sessions run at the same time on Mondays.

For more information contact Mr Pontone on 01325-300942 or Brian Day on 01325-362395.