Tennis coach Steve Ashby is dreaming of the day he will watch one of his pupils play on the Centre Court at Wimbledon.

Mr Ashby is the qualified Lawn Tennis Association coach at Banbury Tennis Club in Horton View - where the junior training programme has just been extended after a successful summer of mini tennis courses run by Cherwell District Council's sports development unit.

Mr Ashby said: "We now have lots of juniors at our coaching sessions and some of them have the potential to turn professional and perhaps reach Wimbledon."

Hannah Hore, CDC's sports development officer, is working on an active tennis programme for the Banbury club. Supported by Sport England with funding from the National Lottery over five years, it aims to establish greater links between schools and tennis clubs and encourage more young people to play at a competitive level.

As a result of the programme, two six-week courses for Year 7 and 8 pupils at Banbury School and Drayton School will start this month.

Mr Ashby and Claire Taylor, a former British number one player, are the head coaches.

For further details call Steve Ashby on 01295 263855, or Hannah Hore on 01295 221721.