A LADIES bowling team today launched a broadside at Coronation Street stars for making a mockery of their beautiful game.

And the irate women, upset by a storyline featuring Jack Duckworth cross-dressing to help win a tournament, challenged the cast to a game to set the record straight.

The ITV soap's Rovers Ravers team, including Church-born actress Julie Hesmondhalgh as Hayley Cropper, has focused national attention on women's crown green bowls.

But Blackburn Subscription Bowling Club's ladies first team has written to bosses at Granada claiming they have given the sport a bad name.

Club president and player Deirdre Allen said: "They have ridiculed the sport and it is not doing the image of this minority sport any good at all.

"We really are quite annoyed about it. It is quite a popular sport in Lancashire and they should have struck a balance with humour to not offend anyone."

The club, formed in 1749, has members aged from 11 to 83 and is thought to be one of the longest-running bowling clubs in the country.

The first team is close to winning the first division title in Blackburn with Darwen Ladies Bowling League.

But Deirdre added: "We don't feel quite the same boasting about playing for a crown green bowling team because they are making a mockery of it."

Denise Harvey, club secretary and team captain, added: "Bowling is such an enjoyable sport. We know it is all tongue in cheek but they have represented it badly."

The 12 ladies who play at the club, in Shear Bank Road, Blackburn, said they wanted to challenge the Rovers Ravers to a charity match to show them how difficult the game is.

Deirdre said: "We can give them some proper lessons and teach them a thing or two.

"To suggest they can win a league after never having picked up a bowling ball before is ridiculous.

"And dressing up as women to play, as character Jack Duckworth (Bill Tarmey) has done, might be entertaining but we are always struggling to get more people involved in bowling and this sort of thing will not help."

Alison Sinclair, Coronation Street press officer, said: "A charity match will not be an option - the actors have their own fund-raising commitments."

The initial Rovers Ravers storyline ended on Friday but scriptwriters expect them to feature again in the future.

The spokeswoman added: "This is a drama series there to entertain and it is not there to educate.

"It is a funny storyline and when viewers saw how it panned out and the passion Rovers Ravers showed at the tournament, it didn't tarnish the image.

"I would say a lot of people who watched it will have thought it looks quite a fun minority sport."