TENNIS players no longer have to fear their hours on the court being disrupted by short nights in winter, thanks to the installation of new floodlights.

The lights, which will provide an estimated 5,000 extra hours of playing time each year, were officially switched on at the Florence Park tennis courts in Oxford on Thursday evening.

The £264,000 project was a joint venture between the Lawn Tennis Association and Oxford City Council and also included new surfacing, nets and posts for all five courts.

The lights were turned on by LTA president Martin Corrie and Oxford City councillor Linda Smith with help from local school children, families and players.

Ms Smith, executive board member for leisure, sport and parks, said: "This investment in facilities at Florence Park is great news for tennis in Oxford, and the extra playing hours created by the new lighting will mean there will be more opportunity than ever before for Oxford residents to play.

"I know the ability to play until late in the evening will be a Godsend for many keen players who lead busy lives."

The recent modernisation of the Oxford sports courts follows the shift to online booking for courts and more opportunities for coaching and activities, which has seen the number of booking increase from 10,000 to 21,000 in the past two years.

Ali Hudson, 45 from Oxford, started playing at Florence Park three years ago.

She said: "I’ve been playing quite obsessively ever since so these floodlights are brilliant and means we don’t have have to stop playing at 4pm in the winter.

"We’re relatively hardy in the winter and play in most weather conditions but when its dark and you can’t see the ball it make it difficult but know we can play all year round which is fantastic.”

Oxford community tennis manager for Parks Tennis Andy Aitken said: "Our coaches are working hard to bring tennis to all ages and abilities, and these new facilities mean they can now work all year round.

"Our mission is to improve lives through tennis and Florence Park is now an even better place to enjoy fresh air fun, get fit with friends and learn skills for life."

LTA community business manager Nina Graveson-Bridge added: "There’s been a huge increase in people playing tennis in Oxford thanks to a number of initiatives and court bookings at parks facilities across the city have more than doubled since 2015.

"These floodlit facilities at Florence Park will enable even more people to get on court by extending playing time."