Table tennis coach John Ainley is living proof that sport can help in the battle against life-threatening illness.

Mr Ainley, a coach at Haworth Hawks and Pudsey Table Tennis Centre, has defied medical predictions that he would never play the game again and is back at the table after undergoing five operations in his battle with a brain tumour.

The 48-year-old may be suffering facial palsy, deafness in his left ear and problems with his left eye, but is still able to coach, encourage and inspire young players.

“The game has helped me so much in my recovery,” said Mr Ainley.

“At first I was told I wouldn’t play again – that was a body blow – but I got going again through encouragement of friends and I continue to have their support.”

Mr Ainley got good news this month that the hole in his brain where the tumour had been has healed up.

“I started getting my fitness back a bit at a time, making myself targets, taking up the bat again and just hitting the ball and trying to return,” he said.

“My confidence had been hammered but slowly it came back.”