BUSINESSES in the Settle area have come together to help local teenage tennis protégé Tom Horsfall take his game to a higher level.

Tom, who is a student at Settle College, started playing tennis at Austwick Tennis Club aged eight.

Under the guidance of club coach Pam Whitehead, the 15-year-old has progressed through the club ranks and now plays regularly for the A team in the Wharfedale (mixed doubles) League.

He was the Bradford Parks Under-15 Player of the Year last year and, in October, was runner-up in the Liverpool Winter Tennis Tournament.

Tom now has group coaching twice a week at Ilkley and occasional one-to-one coaching from the Ilkley Club performance coach. He has also started to compete in local Lawn Tennis Association events and is rising up the LTA rankings.

But if he is to achieve his goal of playing at county and even national level, he needs more regular coaching and will have to take part in national competitions – all of which costs money. And that is where local businesses have stepped in to help.

Fellow members of the Austwick Club have helped persuade five businesses to back Tom and, with support from the club itself and the local Rotary organisation, he now looks poised to take the next steps in his fledgling career.

The businesses backing Tom are British Hardworks, NFU Mutual Insurance, Settle Coal, Timberworks and The Fisherman fish and chip shop.

In return, Tom will wear the companies’ logos on his tennis shirt and he has even promised to provide tickets to Wimbledon, should he ever manage to qualify for tennis’ top tournament!

Tom said: “It’s great these firms have put their faith in me. It will be hard work but I am determined not to let them down.”

Austwick club coach, Pam Whitehead, said: “Tom showed great promise right from the start.

"Grass roots clubs like Austwick can do a lot to develop talent, but when you reach the stage that Tom has got to, you need to compete at a higher level and that costs. I’m delighted the local business community is backing this young man.”