AFTER an eventful few months, Eynsham Croquet Club is hoping to make the most of a surge in interest in the sport.

It was among the first wave of activities, alongside the likes of tennis, golf and bowls, deemed suited for social distancing.

To comply with the rules, Eynsham reopened at the end of last month with only 25 per cent capacity, while there is a routine for washing all the equipment to minimise any risks.

For the moment they can only accommodate members, but with John Lewis reporting a 600 per cent increase in sales of sets, there is a demand the club hope to meet.

Committee member Roger Booth said: “It’s something we can get the public interested in straight away.

“Once the restrictions are lifted we have the facility for taking introductory lessons.

“When people have been cooped up and had time on their hands to think about things, they are looking for different things to do.

“This game is addictive.”

The lockdown came just as the club were recovering from prolonged flooding during the winter, which came just days after completing £2,500 worth of work on the courts.

A grant from Sport England will mean they can repeat the process this autumn.

In the meantime the grass, which has been cut by members during the last few weeks due to the lack of income, has recovered well.

More information can be found at eynshamcroquetclub.co.uk or via the club’s Facebook page.