AN OLYMPIAN has returned to his home area to officially unveil an outdoor tennis table.

Paul Drinkall braved the rain and mist to have a game of ping pong on the concrete tennis table at the play area on Byron Court, Brotton, east Cleveland.

Mr Drinkall, 23, born in Loftus, is currently number two in the England Table Tennis Association and has represented Britain in the Olympic Games.

He said he was impressed with the table, the first of its kind in east Cleveland.

He said: “Kids love playing table tennis, and the facilities aren’t always available. This way they will be able to play any time they want to. This is just what the sport needs.”

Mr Drinkall, who is currently injured and needs an operation on his hip, also commented on the outdoor gym apparatus, saying that many parks in China have this equipment and it is well used. He hadn’t seen any other facilities such as these in the North of England.

Councillor Jim Carrolle, the Vice Chairman of Skelton and Brotton Parish Council who paid for the equipment, thanked Paul for giving his time to perform the opening ceremony.