A RISING tennis star hopes to kick-start his career by working at a prestigious centre.

David Esther, 17, of Perkinsville, Chester-le-Street, received help from the Chester-le-Street Action Team to secure a job at The East Cornwall Tennis Centre.

One of the region's top players, he began working as an assistant tennis coach at the David Lloyd School of Tennis last year.

He discovered he had to obtain qualifications to progress further as a coach.

The Action Team secured funding to sit his part one coaching qualifications, which led to him being offered a coaching job at the Cornwall tennis centre.