TWENTY-four competitors had a ball in more ways than one at Cornwall’s first ever Senior Club Games.

The day-long event for those aged sixty plus took place at Better Bodmin Leisure Centre. Split into three teams, participants represented east, west and mid Cornwall in pickleball, walking cricket, walking netball and walking football.

Kathryn Pearn, 68, from Lanivet, was diagnosed with leukaemia in 2012. A keen netballer who plays with her local club, she now comes to weekly pickleball sessions.

“Keeping active is an out and out lifeline for me,” she said. “You lose muscle and social confidence on chemo, so walking into the leisure centre for the first time was a massive deal for me.”

Eddie Symonds, 76, from Newquay, has been playing walking football at Bodmin for the last eighteen months and has recently taken up pickleball. Despite being treated for bowel cancer and living with a stoma, he still attends sessions at least three times a week.

“When I told the hospital what I was doing, they said I must keep it up because being active helps tremendously,” he said. “I love coming and have made some great friends.”

The games were organised by not-for-profit social enterprise GLL in partnership with Cornwall FA, Cornwall Cricket, Lanivet Pandas Netball Club, and Cornwall Walking Football Referees.

“The games are a popular annual fixture in London boroughs, and we’re delighted to have now held our first event in Cornwall,” said Karen Edmond, GLL community sports manager.

“The idea is to challenge our senior club members and form centre teams that can then compete against others – both locally and nationwide.

“I’m really pleased with the way the day went and congratulate everyone involved for taking part.”

East Cornwall were declared overall winners of the Senior Club Games, with Mid Cornwall second and West Cornwall third.