A table tennis coach has joined a sports club on the north Norfolk coast as part of a push to encourage people into the sport. 

Stuart Laws, who founded the Thorpe High School-based Norwich City Table Tennis Club - has now joined the coaching staff at the Cromer Lawn Tennis and Squash Club.

Kelvin van Hasselt, club chairman, said Mr Laws’ appointment was part of a renewed focus on the sport which was often unfairly seen as a “poor relation” to other racquet games.

Mr van Hasselt said: “The provision of top coaching at Cromer for table tennis will I hope help us to reach out better to the community – and bring in more people to enjoy the club and our table tennis hall.

"We have found that many people who have been introduced to table tennis at the club branch out and take up other racquet sports here.”

The Level 3 qualified coach said: “Whether you want a fun workout, to learn the basics or more advanced sessions with multi-ball or robot work, technical and tactical analysis, my passion is to help people develop, and most of all have fun”.

Mr Laws will run six-week table tennis courses next year, and free taster sessions are planned for Sundays November 27, December 3 and 4.

There will be different sessions for adult beginners, adult intermediates, 18 – 40-year-olds, juniors seven - 11 and 12 -17 as well as a course for teachers and trainee coaches.

The six-week courses will start on January 7 and 8. Each group is limited to eight participants and the course will include six one-hour lessons, as well as a free table tennis bat and three balls. 

Anyone interested in booking a place should call 01263 513741 and ask for Peter Cooper or a member of the bar staff.

Richard Millman, a former USA national team squash coach, has taken charge of developing pickleball, racketball, squash and table tennis at the club.