BRITISH National squash champion Sarah-Jane Perry will be top seed at the third Courtcare Open next month - a tournament organised by former world champion Laura Massaro and her brother Chris Lengthorn.

The competition, which will again be held at David Lloyd Chorley, runs from May 5-9 and this year there will be an increased $15,000 prize fund up for grabs.

A $1,000 men’s competition, held for the first time last year, will run alongside the main event.

The Open, launched by Massaro and Lengthorn in 2013, has been moved to help attract players hoping to use it as a warm-up event for the British Open which takes place in Hull later that month.

And it certainly seems to have done the trick with players coming from as far afield as Canada, Mexico, Japan, Australia and Brazil.

However it is Perry who is the main attraction with the world number 14 seeded one ahead of Emily Whitlock and Wales number one Tesni Evans.

It was back in February when Perry won the biggest tournament of her career to date, ironically beating Massaro in the final to deny the world number three from Chorley a third national title.

“This is the third event we have held and it is all about trying to establish it in the squash calendar,” said Lengthorn. “We moved the date to attact players taking part in the British Open and we’re delighted that Sarah-Jane is taking part and that so many players from around the world are coming to Chorley.”

For ticket details, ring David Lloyd Chorley on 01257 235100.