A COMMUNITY has launched a scheme to build a £2m centre of excellence - for table tennis.

The plan would be to build facilities to national standard, centred at Nunthorpe Comprehensive School, in Middlesbrough.

The nationally-renowned Ormesby Table Tennis Club, the comprehensive school and the adjacent Nunthorpe Primary School have jointly put together a £1.6m National Lottery bid, but must raise £400,000 themselves.

Nunthorpe School's deputy headmaster, Barry Davies, who is also a table tennis coach, said the area had a strong tradition in the sport, with the Ormesby club producing international players for the past 44 years.

"There are a host of different reasons. As a school we have quite a successful background with table tennis.

"Since I arrived at the school they have been Cleveland champions four or five times.

"We have had several players either playing at national level or on the fringes of playing internationally.''

Mr Davies said: "We have just started a GCSE course in PE. Because of changes made to classrooms, with some of them becoming computer rooms, we are desperately short of large areas for PE.

"This is going to be a centre of excellence built to national standards, but from that, training facilities at national and international level will be available.''

Alan Ransome is chairman of the Ormesby club and of the English Table Tennis Association and is fully behind the bid.

He was captain of the Ormesby team that won the European championships in 1972.

He said: "The intention is to run it for the whole community and offer coaching - not just for the top squad.

"What we are trying to do effectively ties in with the Government's agenda.''