HOLCOMBE Brook's most traumatic week in it's 89-year history ended with a great win in the opening round of the ladies Ageon National League at Manchester Northern.

The week had started well with the staging of the annual Holcombe Brook Open tournament in good weather in the club's fabulous new facilities just 600 yards from the old club off Longsight Road.

But then on Wednesday came the bombshell news that the Bury Council Planning Department had issued a stop notice on all activities at the new club because the road work alterations on Longsight Road had not been completed.

The management committee held a crisis meeting discuss not just the stalled Open tournament, but also what would happen with the start of the Bolton League matches that began on Monday and Tuesday.

Thanks to the help of local tennis clubs the Open event was eventually completed on schedule with the remaining rounds being staged at Alkrington and Prestwich, with the finals at local club Walmer last Saturday.

Pick of the winners was Ainsworth's promising 14 year old Josh Taylor, who followed his victory in the under-18's morning final with a fine afternoon win in the senior event, eclipsing defending champion Jay Hardy, who was playing on his home courts, in straight sets 6-0, 6-4.

Further problems for the management committee was this coming weekend when two Aegon national and one regional events were due to be staged at the new club.

A club spokesman said: "They will now be scattered around Lancashire. It would have been a great opportunity to show people the standard of tennis that can be seen here.

"The road works should have been completed by April 10th. And of course we know the council are technically correct, however we feel it is an over reaction, they could have done more to help us find a solution.

"The problem is the right turn from the 40mph road. We offered to use a car park on opposite side of the road but this was rejected because people would have to walk across the road. Other suggestions that we made were also given the thumbs down.'

"It has been both costly for the club,and disheartening for the many volunteers who have worked hard to get the new venue, that has been well received by those who have seen it up and running."

Fortunately both national Aegon teams were drawn away last Sunday. The ladies were given a tougher time than expected but managed to win both doubles matches after tying the singles 2-2.

Eva Siskova, the American teenager who trains at Bolton Arena and now lives permanently in the UK was the star of the match. She waltzed 6-1, 6-1 through her singles and then dominated her doubles match playing with the Brook's number one, Anna Fitzpatrick.

A severely depleted men's team lost their opening round 6-0 at Middlesborough.