TABLE tennis in Barton has scored a straight-sets victory.

Barton Leisure Centre has been given two funding awards to develop a new Barton Community Table Tennis Club.

The awards, totalling £3,665, allow the centre to buy equipment and train members of staff for national table tennis coaching qualifications.

It is the latest addition to the increasingly popular centre.

Membership of Barton Leisure Centre, which opened four years ago, has more than trebled following its recent refurbishment.

City councillor Mark Lygo, Oxford City Council’s executive member for sports and parks, said: “Table tennis is an Olympic sport and it is great we have received this funding to help encourage people to take up the sport.

“Who knows, we may get an Olympic hopeful from it.”

One award of £2,675 comes from Sport England while the other £990 comes from Oxfordshire County Council.

The new equipment has arrived at the leisure centre in Waynflete Road and the coaches are currently being interviewed with a view to getting the club up and running within the next month.

Sue Holden, of Barton Community Association, said: “It is absolutely brilliant. Any extra dimension is good.”

The charity Fusion Lifestyle runs the city leisure centres in partnership with the city council.

Centre membership rose from 130 to 500 in the six months after a new gym and new reception were added and the changing rooms were given a makeover.

Overall attendance at the leisure centre also rose by 40 per cent since the leisure centre’s makeover in November 2010.

To join the club, contact the leisure centre reception.