THE TWILIGHT sky turned to day when a tennis club switched on its new floodlights after it was awarded �30,000. As the autumnal evening drew in, the three courts on the corner of Holland Road and All Souls Avenue in Kensal Green came to life when the ne

THE TWILIGHT sky turned to day when a tennis club switched on its new floodlights after it was awarded �30,000.

As the autumnal evening drew in, the three courts on the corner of Holland Road and All Souls Avenue in Kensal Green came to life when the new facilities were christened with a men's doubles finals.

Delighted fans of the net will now be able to play into the night after Elmwood Tennis Club received a grant from the London Marathon Trust.

A delighted Richard Ormerod, club secretary, said: "We put an application in around last Christmas for �30,000 which would have take us years to save up. We got some quotes from the contractor, and they began installing in early August. Since then we have tested them, so we had them on for the first official opening and the club competition with the men's doubles final, which drifted on into the twilight.

"This is a big event for us and it opens up the facilities all year round. Some 96 per cent of our members live within a mile of the club. It's a very community focussed club and our membership fees are very reasonable."

The club has more than 230 members including families and children, most of whom live in the area.

First formed in 1898, the grounds were gifted to the community by Saint Mark's Church in Bathurst Gardens, Kensal Green.

Rose Rouse, ladies captain who lives in Bramston Road, Kensal Green, said: "The club is like an oasis in this particular area. It's quite unexpected to have courts here. It's community based, but we don't have lots of money.

"Some members of the committee are incredibly active. We compete in the Middlesex north east division. Our team has just been promoted and the first men's team have come top of their division and are about to be promoted.