FOUR-TIME Paralympian Janet McMorran is heading to Pershore later this month to promote wheelchair tennis.

The former British number one will be at Pershore Tennis Centre on Sunday, February 18 for an open day designed to introduce new players from the county to one of the fastest growing and most popular wheelchair sports.

Disabled people from Worcestershire and Herefordshire will have the chance to try the sport for free between 2pm and 5pm.

All equipment, including specialist tennis wheelchairs, rackets and balls, will be provided.

Expert coaching will also be provided, along with the opportunity to learn from one of Great Britain's most successful ever players.

Bromyard-based McMorran was British number one for most of her 15-year career, during which she was crowned national champion seven times, won 21 international titles and reached a career-high world ranking of six.

McMorran was also runner-up in the US Open, one of four tournaments on the NEC Wheelchair Tennis Tour to have Super Series status, the equivalent of a Grand Slam.

She is also the only international female player to have represented her country in all four Paralympic tennis events between 1992 and 2004.

McMorran, from Tedstone Delamere, has been working with the Herefordshire and Worcestershire LTA county office in Malvern and the British Tennis Foundation to create this opportunity.

She said: "Wheelchair tennis is a wonderful sport and has brought me great enjoyment as well as success over many, many years.

"The only rule difference between wheelchair tennis and tennis for able-bodied people is that wheelchair tennis players are allowed two bounces of the ball, which makes the sport an activity that any disabled player of any age can play with able-bodied friends and family as well as pursuing it in a competition network that includes regional, national and international events.

"Wheelchair tennis will be one of the most popular spectator sports at the London 2012 Paralympic Games and this is an ideal opportunity to come and find out what it is all about."