Children and teenagers can get free coach-led fun tennis sessions in Penarth thanks to a £6,000 grant to a local tennis club.

The Friday night sessions kick off this week for members and non-members of Penarth Lawn Tennis Club.

Coach Rob Cunningham said: "Our coach-lead junior night sessions will focus on social play and fun games and are a fantastic opportunity to play tennis in a relaxed environment with friends."

The tennis sessions are free for members aged between five and 17, though they have to book. Non-members can book free trial sessions on the Vale Tennis Academy website using the code #PLTCJUNIOR.

Julia Esseen, the club's junior organiser, said: "We're creating a fantastic family atmosphere on Friday afternoons and evenings. Parents can stay and enjoy free tea and coffee while their children play tennis. 

"If they join as social members they can stay around and enjoy our Friday night food and bar while children play outside in the club garden."

"With the lovely new patio and outside bar, we like to think of ourselves as the best beer garden in Penarth. We're certainly the most child friendly!"

Chairman Martin Radford said: "We have a booming adult membership and we've had incredible success on court over the last year. 

"But we are always looking for new junior members so we can continue to be a thriving club with new generations of players in the years to come. We hope these free sessions will give a boost to our junior membership."

Junior membership, which includes the free Friday sesionsand access to courts off peak throughout the year starts from just £29 a year. Social membership, costing just £35, gives parents access to the bar and other facilities, as well as our popular events.

Mr Cunningham said: "I would like to personally thank the volunteers on the new Junior Committee and Sport Wales for making this new and free weekly session possible. 

"The junior committee are working hard to put junior tennis in centre of the club's development plans and together they have successfully applied for a grant of over £6,000 from Sport Wales to launch this great initiative." 

The free tennis coaching can be booked at:www.valetennisacademy.co.uk