THE Japanese sport of power chair soccer could soon be propelled into the premier league thanks to the efforts of the Percy Hedley Foundation.

The foundation is halfway towards the £500,000 it needs to build a sports centre.

The centre will become a permanent home for the wheelchair team game, and will be used to promote disabled sports.

Until then, car firm Nissan has allowed players to practice in its sports hall.

Power chair soccer is played by teams of four using a large football.

Motorised wheelchairs are adapted for the game by attaching half a car tyre on to the footplates, which are used to pass and shoot the ball through a goal.

The foundation's current hall is too small to field a four-a-side game, so players travelled to Nissan to take part in their first match.

Jim Ferris, chief executive of the Percy Hedley Foundation, said: "It's an absolutely fantastic game.

"It is really wonderful that people who once sat on the sidelines watching football are now able to play it."