TENNIS players in Cardross are celebrating this week after news that their courts are set to receive a new lease of life.

The club received a funding boost of £44,843 from the SUEZ Communities Trust to renew its courts, which have been in need of replacement for several years.

Club president Steven Carmichael, who led the project, said: “The funding SUEZ Communities Trust have provided is absolutely essential to the club’s future.

“With so many people having spent so much time rebuilding the club, it would have been tragic for the courts to fall into an unusable condition for the community.

“The SUEZ funds, combined with the tireless fund-raising done over the last few years, will guarantee the future of the club for many years to come. We simply cannot thank them enough.”

The club has been ‘reborn’ over the last few years after a long spell of inactivity, and was named Scottish Community Club of the Year in 2014.

The membership has grown from a low point of less than 20, and the club – which hosted the finals of Cardross Primary School’s annual tennis tournament last Friday – now has more than 10 active teams taking part in competitions against clubs from throughout the west of Scotland.

Steven added: “Many of the members are juniors and families and the club now forms an important part of the village community.

“The club prides itself on its low fees but the courts are more than 17 years old, and with a normal lifespan of about 10 years we need to replace the surfaces to allow us to continue to have a fit for purpose club to service the need of the community."

Marek Gordon, the chairman of the SUEZ Communities Trust, added: “SUEZ Communities Trust provides funding awards through the Scottish Landfill Communities Fund – an important source of funding which came into effect in April 2015.

"The scheme is linked to the Scottish Landfill Tax and encourages landfill site operators to provide contributions to approved bodies, who can then pass the funds on to community and environmental projects.

"We were delighted to be able to offer funding to Cardross Tennis Club.”

News of the funding has also been welcomed by the village’s MSP, Jackie Baillie, who said: “I am pleased to see Cardross Tennis Club receiving such a great funding boost from the SUEZ Communities Trust in the most recent round of applications.

“I know that the refurbishment of the tennis courts will allow the club to continue to be enjoyed by members of the community.

“Cardross Tennis Club is right at the heart of the village and all of the staff do a fantastic job maintaining the club to the highest standard.

"This refurbishment will bring the club back up to its peak standard.”