ENGLAND’S leading table tennis player Alan Cooke heads the entries for the Bribar East Kent Open in Canterbury on Saturday, January 8 to Sunday, January 9.

Cooke, from Derbyshire, is a former Commonwealth champion and presently heads the national rankings.

Last month he helped England’s men beat Holland 3-2 in Barrow to qualify for the top category of the European Championships in Denmark in March.

Cooke will be joined in a 200-strong entry at the Body and Mind Fitness Centre by Nottingham's rising star Gavin Evans, the world's leading under-12 player, who is already ranked among this country's top 30 seniors.

The biggest tournament held in the county for 30 years, the Bribar Open forms part of a national series of 12 satellite ranking events and offers cash prizes for the winners.

Play starts on 9am each day and spectators are welcome. Admission is free and further details may be obtained from Barry Chapman on 01227 860348.