BROMSGROVE and District Indoor Bowls Club are set to stage their first major international tournament next year.

The Charford-based venue will welcome the best young players from across the country when it stages the English Ladies under-25s Internatonal Series.

The tournament will see England battle it out against Scotland and Wales on February 9 and 10.

This marks a remarkable turnaround in fortunes for the club, which boasts a 600-strong membership.

In June their home was badly damaged by the flash flooding before a £250,000 revamp transformed it into one of the country’s leading indoor bowls venues.

The club raised £30,000, while £220,000 from insurance firm Aviva played a major part in renovating the facilities.

Fixture secretary Tom Farrar said: “The damage was terrible and the club had to replace everything.

“We had to re-fit the kitchen and bar and the bowling surface was wet through so had to be replaced.

“We’ve now got one of the best in the country and we’re delighted to be hosting the International Series.

“It means some of the very best players in the country will be gracing the town.”

The tournament had originally been planned for Ireland but problems with the Irish team gave governing body the EIBA the chance to try out Bromsgrove.

The event will be opened by Bromsgrove District MP Sajid Javid at approximately 9am.

Cllr Michael Webb, whose portfolio covers leisure, said: “I think it is wonderful that a local club has been chosen to host this important event within the sport, especially as the club faced hardship when the building itself was damaged by flood waters earlier this year.”