MOST of the top players in British tennis will be in action at the Bolton Arena for the nine-day Hastings Direct National Tennis Championships which start on Friday.

Defending national champions Lee Childs and Hannah Collin will be bidding for a hat-trick of titles in the prestigious tournament which moved to the Bolton Arena for the first time last year.

The nationals will feature many of the rising stars, with Alex Bogdanovic joining Great Britain Davis Cup players Martin Lee and Arvind Parmar in the men's draw.

The ticket prices range from £4 to £8. Concession prices are available and the ticket hot-line number is 01204 488178.

Hastings Direct's £400,000, three-year deal with the Lawn Tennis Association covers 25 British Tour events throughout the year with an additional five junior events in southern England.

"It is a fantastic opportunity to invest in our national tennis talent at all levels and is a fitting event for Hastings Direct's debut into sponsorship at a national level," said David Gundlact, managing director of Hastings Direct.

The Kids Zone will be in operation at the Bolton Arena from Tuesday, October 22, to Friday, October 25. There are two sessions a day featuring children aged 10 and under with plenty of fun activities taking place.