POTENTIAL Tim Henmans got a helping hand on the road to Wimbledon after a Fylde tennis club scooped nearly £100,000 to build new facilities.

Thornton Lawn Tennis Club, on Lime Grove, received £90,759 from the Lottery for a new clubhouse, changing rooms, showers and disabled toilets.

Sport England Lottery Fund awarded the money because the club works hard to improve opportunities for youngsters and people with disabilities.

The club has strong links with schools, including Red Marsh School for Children with Special Needs and much of its membership is made up of primary and secondary school children.

For every Lottery ticket sold 3.8 pence goes to sport organisations or clubs with over £130m going to the North West since 1995.

David Burns, president of Thornton Lawn Tennis Club, expressed his delight with the successful bid for Sport England funds.

He said: "We have a very well run club which serves the local community, now we'll be able to look after members and visitors properly.

"With our all-weather courts, we encourage players of all ages and have mixed tennis every day of the week, 52 weeks a year."

Sheldon Phillips, Sport England Regional Director, said: "The groups who've been awarded money from the Sport England Lottery Fund are doing some fantastic work - and these grants should enable them to continue doing so."