ENGLAND’s top squash chief from the Ribble Valley is set for a royal appointment tomorrow as part of the lead up to the Commonwealth Games in Glasgow.

West Bradford-based Susan Meadows, 59, will attend a reception at Buckingham Palace with Prince Edward.

It will be followed by a dinner and a round-table discussion about sport with the prince.

The mum-of-three, of Southfield Drive, has been involved in squash since her early 20s and is currently the chief executive of England Squash and Racketball.

A former member of Clitheroe Squash Club, Susan now plays for Blackburn Northern and is keen to increase the sport’s image on a national scale.

Susan, a former pupil at St Augustine’s RC High School in Billington, said: “It’s such an honour and a privilege to have been invited to such a prestigious event. I’m very much looking forward to it and to talking to Prince Edward about squash and racketball and the ways in which it can be promoted in England.

“In Lancashire participation has been slipping for the last ten years but I believe that the tipping point has been reached and that now we are on the way up.

“One of my main aims is to see if squash can be included in the Olympic programme.

“There are many health benefits connected to playing squash and I think that they should be emphasised more.

“Being part of the Commonwealth Games is very important and should be a stepping stone for further recognition.

“As a country we do very well on the national stage and that will only increase with more people taking part.”

Susan is a former community nurse at Slaidburn and Clitheroe health centres and has been in her role for six months. She represented Lancashire at squash and also ran the county teams.