A BOWLING club is marking its centenary year with a special challenge- taking on the England team.

Buckhurst Hill Bowling & Lawn Tennis Club's top players will take on a special team from Bowls England next Tuesday (May 25) including its president Chris Smith and several top officers.

The club, in Epping New Road, Buckhurst Hill, has been arranging the day for years and has also organised a separate match between its own ladies' team and England's.

Club president Malcolm Lord said: “It's a tradition when clubs reach 50 or in our case their centenary to arrange these special matches.

“We went to Bowls England five years ago telling them it was our centenary this year and we'd like to play them. It's been fixed up over the last few years. We've been doing a tremendous amount of work to get everything up to scratch.

“They're coming from all over the country, from Kent to Yorkshire. We can't say who will win, but whether we win or not it's the game that matters.”

Buckhurst Hill have arranged a string of special celebratory matches this year to mark their centenary.

The club have expanded rapidly since they were formed in 1910.

Mr Lord said: “It's about the time most of the local bowls clubs were founded. The tennis club didn't happen until 1922 and the ladies' bowls was only formed in 1924. Ladies didn't use to play back then.

“Buckhurst Hill is one of the bigger bowling clubs around. We have got something like 85 men and 45 ladies.

“Bowling nationally isn't going very well unfortunately. As with practically every bowls club members are declining. It's happening throughout Essex. It's difficult to say why. More people are retiring and people are living longer- you'd think more people would want to join.

“But you have to compete with people having more holidays and the rival attractions of sitting in watching TV.”

The club is looking for new members. People interested should call Mr Lord on 020 8502 1285.