England international Hannah Hicks will be the special guest of the Weymouth & District League tomorrow evening at the annual mid-season tournament.

The event, which is being held for the second time, is to be staged at Westfield Technology College, Littlemoor Road, Weymouth.

Following the success of last season's event when top England star Andy Baggaley proved a very popular attraction, Stan Smith and his team of Preston Table Tennis Club volunteers will be working hard to ensure all the matches – up 35 per cent from last February – get played on time.

Hicks, currently ranked number three in the ETTA listings, hails from Hampshire but trains full-time in Sheffield at the English Institute for Sport.

The 21-year-old has been an England regular since her debut at the Czech Open in 2007 and her club side is currently Santa Eularia in Spain.

Players from the local ping-pong scene will no doubt be eagerly anticipating a demonstration from Hicks and fellow guest Nathan Bingham – one of Dorset’s leading lights who plays for Bourne-mouth Sports.

That demo is scheduled for 7.35pm and it is followed by the tournament handicap and divisional finals at 8pm.

Hicks will also hold a question and answer session on the evening and after the finals are completed she will play matches against some of the competition winners.

Throughout the evening it is hoped Hicks will be available to knock with individuals and provide some coaching tips for those that want it.

The event closes at 9.40pm with the presentation where Hicks will join with league president Brian Copp to congratulate finalists in all categories.

Group matches begin from 9am tomorrow morning and the hall will be open from 8.15am so players have a chance to warm-up adequately.