TWO basketball enthusiasts are working with Malvern Town Council to improve facilities for their sport in the town.

Jon May and Tom Bennett launched their campaign for improved facilities in May after revealing that the existing facilities in Malvern are dilapidated and in some cases dangerous.

They are now pinning their hopes on the creation of permanent outdoor courts reserved for basketball alone at Victoria Park in Malvern Link.

Mr May said: "Basketball is continually growing as a national sport and it is essential provisions are in place to help support and develop this.

"The goal is to develop new world-class basketball facilities in Malvern that will appeal to all ages for current and future basketball players across the district."

They say that for years, basketball players have found themselves having to share outdoor courts with other sports, a situation that the two campaigners say is dangerous.

"The constant clash between different activities results in a first-come first-served facility which not only affects participation but greatly reduces the interest to develop or get involved in outdoor sports," said Mr May.

Their proposal is that two dedicated basketball courts are built in Victoria Park where the trim trail is now. The existing shared football/basketball area will become exclusively used for football, and the trim trail will be relocated next to the bowling green.

The two men have published a report, Malvern Hills Outdoor Basketball Facilities: An Urgent Need for Development, listing the deficiencies in the existing provision and calling for action.

At the Cube in Albert Road North, the court is frequently used as a car park, and users have to book in advance to make sure it is free of cars. And at Duke’s Meadow, which is a combined football and basketball facility, the goal-basket structure has the potential to injure players who are trying to score.

“Basketball is popular, there’s no doubt about that, “ said Mr Bennett. “The Worcester Wolves regularly attract good crowds to the new university arena, and here in Malvern, there are the Malvern Hills Buzzards, the Malvern Hills Allstars and Leagues 4 You."

For more information please click here.