COLN Valley Tennis Club's annual mixed doubles tournament culminated in a tenaciously-fought and nail-biting final won by Simon Sheppard and Alison Armitage, of Ashton Keynes.

They narrowly defeated Chedworth mother and son duo, Sue and 16-year-old Jamie Francis, to take home the Speke Challenge Cup.

The competition, held on June 14, attracted 80 competitors who played sizzling tennis in similar temperatures at Chedworth and other courts in surrounding villages.

New this year to the 21-year old event was an additional competition for a silver plate for those not qualifying in the first round of the main tournament, which was won by Mark Hall and Georgina Seel, from Fifield.

At the presentations, Hill and Valley LTC chairman Stephen Scott Smith said: "If there has been any criticism at all of the tournament in the past, it has been that for some people there was not enough tennis.

"The plate competition has addressed this and has proved so popular that we will make it a permanent part of the fixture in future."

Details of next year's tournament, which raises money for the club and churches of Chedworth, Coln St Dennis and Coln Rogers, will be posted on the Hill and Valley website at www.chedworth.org.uk/tennis.

Hill and Valley LTC is putting considerable effort into encouraging young talent, including holding annual tennis factories with the Gloucestershire LTA and starting a programme of junior and youth coaching.

Club coach John Robson is currently undertaking his LTA development coaching award.

The club was runner-up in the 2002 Gloucestershire LTA 'Club of the Year' competition in recognition of its contribution to developing youth tennis in the area.