It was invented by bored British Army officers in India in the 1880s and the Chinese excel at it.

Now at last, table tennis is becoming more fashionable over here. And it could soon provide England with a new batch of world champions - with Bradford at the forefront of a boom in the sport.

Bradford's largest table tennis club - Fastbats - is launching a recruitment drive aimed at hundreds of children across the city.

English table tennis has some way to go to match the asians who dominate the sport, but the brilliant play of the Chinese and new Olympic singles champion Ryn Seung-Min from South Korea has given the sport a massive boost over here.

Bradford already has plenty of potential - and a number of internationals, including a national singles champion in Mary Fuller, who won the under-12s title for girls.

Fastbats are urging children to swell their ranks. They already run 12 teams in the Bradford & District Table Tennis Association League and have more than 60 members.

They recently moved to a new base - the sports hall at Bradford Grammar School, Frizinghall. But a major aim of the club is to develop a dedicated table tennis centre in the Bradford area which can be used all the time.

The club is currently negotiating with Woodhouse Grove School at Apperley Bridge to build a new six-table centre on their school site.

Current membership of the club is refreshingly inexpensive - just £5 for juniors, and that includes a free t-shirt with the club logo emblazened on it.

Club captain Richard Priestley said: "Everyone at Fastbats is impressed with our new home at Bradford Grammar School. We are now aiming for a major expansion in our junior membership and are looking forward to welcoming as many new players as possible."

There are a number of budding stars at the club. Four junior players have represented England at under-12, under-14 and under-17 level.

A star in their ranks is Nicola White, 17, who played for England in the World Schools' Table Tennis Championships in Germany, where the team won the bronze medal.

And there is already a great deal of interest in table tennis across the city. Last year, 42 primary schools and 11 secondary schools played in the schools leagues.

Senior coach at fastbats Sally Shutt has coached the England junior and senior women's teams in China, Hungary and Malaysia.

She said: "Table tennis is a game that can be played and enjoyed by everyone from five to 85. At Fastbats we have a track record of achieving success. I am looking to identify new talent within the Bradford area.

"The future is looking good for English table tennis. There is a crop of youngsters in England who could one day make an impact on the world rankings. We are definitely making inroads.

"I would like to invite parents to bring their children to Bradford Grammar School on either a Monday or Wednesday evening to let them take part in one of our coaching sessions. I am sure they will find it an enjoyable experience."

Fastbats enter teams in the senior and junior British Leagues. They have signed 17-year-old Joanna Parker from Surrey, who is ranked No 3 in England, and Kelly Sibley from Warwickshire, ranked No 5.

There is tremendous history attached to the club. Clayton Heights TTC was the forerunner of Fastbats and originally founded in 1922.

Their founder member, William Hewitt, became the first club player to be selected for England. In 1927 he played in an international match against Hungary.

l Fastbats coaching sessions take place Monday and Wednesday evenings 6pm-7.30pm or 7.30pm-9pm. The cost is £3 for members and £3.50 for non-members. At Oakbank School, Keighley, coaching is available every Thursday in the sports centre between 7pm and 9pm.