England netball player Joanna Binns launched a new netball club at the ActivityZone leisure centre in Malmesbury on Thursday.

The club was formed after a ten-week Back To Netball course paid for by England Netball and DC Leisure proved highly popular.

Chairman and mother-of-two Kathy Hurst, of Milbourne, said: “Lots of people came along and there was a real sense of enthusiasm.”

Malmesbury had a netball club until a few years ago but it disbanded after the coach moved away.

“There was no opportunity to play in Malmesbury after the old club closed,” said Mrs Hurst.

“Hopefully we can now attract people back.”

The club was given £1,000 by Malmesbury Area Board to pay for start up costs.

Miss Binns, 25, of Team Bath at the University of Bath, captained the England under-19 squad in 2003 and was a member of the England under-21 team that won silver at the world youth championships in Florida in 2005.

Despite the presence of the elite player, Mrs Hurst said the new club was not about performance.

She said: “What makes us different from the bigger and more competitive clubs in Chippenham and Swindon is that we want to welcome people of all abilities.”

The focus is on enjoyment rather than competitions.

“So far we have a really nice mixture from school pupils, mums with kids and women in their 50s,” she said.

The club meets on Thursdays 7pm to 8pm. Details on (01666) 825967.

England netball star Joanna Binns, front in blue and yellow Bath Team colours, with members of Malmesbury Netball Club. Front row, from left, are Wiltshire County Netball Association’s Pat Salter, Jane Davies, treasurer Tahiti Van Rooyen, secretary Jacqui Rooynon. To the right of Joanna Binns are chairman Kathy Hurst and netball coach Christina Barrow