A NEW archery club in Darwen is aiming high with visions of creating an indoor pod for all weathers and pushing youngsters to ‘superstar’ levels.

Darwen Archery Club was set up in July by chairman Tim Coates and sessions take place every Saturday on Square Meadow, situated behind the old Darwen Moorland High School.

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Within the next year, Mr Coates would like to apply for a lottery grant to build an indoor space so that archers can train at all times.

He said: “Archery is a sport for everyone, whether you are disabled, tall or small. One of our members is partially sighted.

“I think it has been more successful than I ever expected We have a good number of members at the moment but we would like to see this rise over the next few years.

“I would also like to see us get some funds for a pod which would mean we can go inside when it’s raining, as it does a lot up here.

“That would probably be the aim for 12 months time.”

He also said that some members of the club could well become Olympic superstars.

He said: “In the more distant future, say five years, I would really like to see our youngsters particularly in major competitions at county and national level.

“I’d like to see us gain more equipment as we grow so that one day, who knows, we could have an Olympic superstar from Darwen.”

Square Meadow, which was saved from any future development in 2013, is now used for both the archery club and Darwen’s Rangers, Spartans and New Gardeners football clubs.

The Friends of Square Meadow was set up by Harry Blackwell to work on making improvements to the field and attracting more sports including cricket.

The archery club currently has 10 members and works with Paul Roberts, a Level 2 Archery GB licensed coach who has travelled the globe to gain international qualifications.

His experience in the sports spans more than 30 years and he works as a head coach at Blackburn College Archery Club and as a specialist performance coach at Archery GB training centre in Accrington.

Sudell councillor Jane Oates said she wishes the club all the best, adding: “All the Sudell councillors are behind them including myself, Eileen Entwistle and Roy Davies.”“I think it’s fantastic.”