Time... duo on court 28 years later

TWO university lecturers were today due to complete a tennis match they started in Derby 28 years ago.

University of Derby duo Tony O'Neill and Paul Bingham began playing a match at its main Kedleston Road site one Friday in June 1981.

They stopped at one set apiece and four games each in the third set, intending to finish the following Monday.

But they returned to find the tennis courts already being demolished, as part of the deal to compulsorily purchase a section of the Kedleston Road site's land to build Derby's A38 Queensway bypass.

Today they were due finish their game to mark the official opening of the university's new tennis courts.

Mr O'Neill, 60, of the school of law and criminology, said: "I'm definitely not the world's greatest tennis player but Paul and I used to train together, run marathons, as well as playing the occasional game of cricket and tennis.

"We couldn't believe it when we came back only a few days later to find the tennis courts had gone. I'm looking forward to finishing the game. Of course, we're both confident we will win."

Mr Bingham, 63, of Mickleover, retired in 1996.

He said: "It will be interesting to see what happens, 28 years on."