MORE than 200 people attended a special ceremony to celebrate the official opening of Andover Tennis Club’s new £1.2million facility.

Club bosses hosted players, coaches and representatives from the Lawn Tennis Association (LTA) to their new Balksbury Hill home last month to officially swing open the state-of-the-art site.

Simon Johnson, the LTA's head of region for the South West, was on hand to cut the ribbon and watch some of Andover's talented tennis stars in action.

He said: "Many congratulations to everyone at Andover Tennis Club for turning this project into reality.

"We very much look forward to working with the club going forward to maximise the opportunity to get more people playing tennis more often."

The tennis club relocated from their previous Brackenbury home to the new site last year.

The new facility includes three outdoor courts, two indoor courts and a clubhouse.

The £1.2 million project has been partly funded by the sale of the club's former home, alongside a £200,000 grant from the LTA.

Further funding has come from Veolia Environmental Trust, Test Valley Borough Council, Hampshire County Council, Perbury and Tesco ATC chairman, Margaret Winnett said: "It’s been a wonderful day and a fitting celebration for the completion of this huge project.

"We want to thank all of those who have given so much in time, money and equipment to the club to make this dream a reality."

Andover Tennis Club will be showing off its new tennis facility as part of the LTA’s Great British Tennis Weekend on Saturday 13 May.

For more information or to book onto sessions, please visit: https://clubspark.lta.org.uk/OpenDays/AndoverLawnTennisClub/