MARKLAND Hill BC has plenty to celebrate this week.

The club -- part of Markland Hill tennis club in Victoria Road, Heaton -- is 100 years old tomorrow and is believed to be the oldest club in the country still playing.

It was created from the former Bolton Badminton Club, which left the drill hall in Silverwell Street in the town centre 30 years ago to become a vibrant part of the historic tennis club.

Tomorrow a plaque is being unveiled at the club in a centenary ceremony when the Mayor of Bolton (Cllr Kevan Helsby) joins national and local officials from the badminton world.

In the meantime, the club has made a celebratory start to the new badminton season.

Its A team -- last season's Markland Hill/Leigh team when the former champions joined the club -- started their current campaign with a 14-4 win over Markland Hill B.

And the B team enjoyed their first win with a decisive victory over Forrest A.

Tracy Walker and Albert Mahoney won the opening mixed 15-5, 15-12, against strong resistance from Carolyn Ingram and Forrest new recruit Paul Taylor.

Forrest A hit back when Christine Seddon and Alan Crow took their opening mixed after a tight game 15-13, but Steve Powers and Ruth Flatman rallied for Markland Hill, taking the second game 15-8.

Forrest were under pressure after Alan Edgley and Kathy Wain took all their mixed, but Kirk Pendlebury and Kath Orrell struck back to take an exciting game 15-14 and keep Forrest in the hunt.

However, the men's and ladies' games all went the way of Markland Hill, to give them a handy 16-2 opening win of the new season.

The C team had useful early victories over Swinton and Springfield A, and the D team followed up a useful 11-7 win over David Lloyd LC with a 12-6 home win over GMT B.

In this fixture, they got off to a flying start taking three of the first four mixed before GMT came back through third couple Rita McCartney and Brian Anderson.

The home side's Peter Lonnen and Heather Cowell extended the lead over John Day and Sue Ahmed, and Pam Yates and Simon Crank took both their games to push the team further ahead.

In the men's and ladies' doubles, youngster John Burrows and Rebecca Dennard played a strong part in taking more games, and Markland Hill ran out 12-6 winners.

Markland Hill E, meanwhile, took a useful two points from an 18-0 win over Springfields E.

GMT A were unlucky to miss promotion from C Section last season, finishing just out of the top few, and hoping to rectify that this year.

Hawkshaw C had other ideas, however, when the two clashed at Hawkshaw's Canon Slade sports centre base.

Eileen Brown and Phil Santana-Reedy for the visitors proved the stronger pair in the opening set, but Vera Haydock and S Short pulled one back in the next set.

Hawkshaw third couple Carole Lanham and John Whitesmith took both their games to push the home team ahead, but games continued to see-saw and by the changeover the score was 5-5.

The top ladies' set was shared before Frank Carr and John Whitesmith gave the home team the edge with both top men's games. When Vera Haydock and Carole Lanham took the first of the second ladies' set, Hawkshaw were on nine games and looking for that important second point.

A gritty performance from GMT's Eileen Brown and Rita McCartney, however, gave them the second game. And Phil Santana-Reedy and Brian Anderson took both the final men's games for a draw from a close encounter.

Sharples BC is still looking to recruit extra players for their teams in C, D and F Sections. Match nights are Thursdays at Sharples Sports Centre. Ring Mandy on 0161-764-4278 to find out more.

Christ Church's Roger Taylor and his partner Phil Howe (ABC) narrowly missed taking the over-40s men's doubles title in the Kent Veterans' Championships, losing in a close final.

Consolation came for Roger in the mixed doubles, however. With his Essex partner Andi Stretch, he took the over-40s final against ex-England player Karen Beckman (formerly Bridge) and John Molyneaux.

Results: A SECTION: Chowbent B 4, Bury A 14; Hawkshaw A 15, BIT 3; Forrest A 5, ABC 13; Markland Hill A 14, Markland Hill B 4; Christ Church 11, Chowbent A 7.

B SECTION: Springfields A 12, BSC 6; Markland Hill C 11, Springfields A 7; Westhoughton A 4, Hawkshaw B 14; Metro A 16, Swinton 2; Racquets 6, Forrest B 12; BSC 5, Park A 13.

C SECTION: Springfields B 15, Springfields C 3; Hawkshaw C 9, GMT A 9; Metro B 14, Chowbent C 4; Chowbent D 7, Westhoughton B 11.

D SECTION: Farnworth B 5, Smithills A 13; David Lloyd LC 7, Markland Hill D 11; GMT B 9, Metro C 9; Westhoughton C 13, Farnworth C 5; Park B 0, Sharples C 18.

E SECTION: Metro D 13, Park C 5; Moorside A 13, Forrest E 5; Smithills B 12, Deane B 6; Forrest D 13, Westhoughton D 5.

F SECTION: Farnworth D 0, Smithills C 18; Moorside D 2, Moorside B 16; Markland HIll E 18, Springfields E 0; Holy Cross 7, Moorside C 11; Smithills D 6, Metro E 12; Deane C 17, Forrest F 1.