WANTAGE Tennis Club held an evening of laughter, music, and dance to raise funds for its disability tennis programme.

About 100 people were entertained by local covers band The Connection, featuring club member John Smythe wielding a guitar rather than a tennis racket at the club’s Manor Road Memorial Park HQ on Friday.

Comedy was provided by poet and raconteur Tina Sederholm, of Edingburgh Fringe fame, who delivered a set entitled ‘Till Debt Us Do Part’.

The evening’s fund raising was kick-started by the presentation of a cheque from club sponsors Douglas & Simmons estate agents, and overall more than a £500 was raised.

Tennis club coach Andy Aitken said the funds would be a valuable contribution to the tennis sessions for the deaf, people with learning disabilities, wheelchair users and the visually-impared.

He added: “Tennis is the perfect game for anyone with a disability.

“It can be adapted to suit any level of ability.

“We can make the court smaller, use bigger rackets or special balls designed to slow the game down and make it easier to play.”

The funds will be used to buy specialist equipment.

Club chairman Mark Rowe said: “We had a fantastic evening for a fantastic cause.”