FOUR would-be Tim Henmans have begun their drive to reach the top in the world of tennis - with a perfect match between a West Yorkshire school and the Lawn Tennis Association.

Woodhouse Grove, at Apperley Bridge, has been selected by the LTA to play a key role - as the first venue in the North of England - for the Association's tennis scholarships.

The school is one of seven nationwide which hope to provide the next generation of tennis stars. It is a rolling programme with new scholars beginning at the Grove each year.

The first to benefit from the programme are four boys who have just started at school but are already national standard players - Sean Galpin, Brett Davies, Tom Loughton, who are aged 13, and 14-year-old Nikki Peel.

The boys are boarders and their day is a mix of lessons with their fellow pupils and fitness training, coupled with tennis coaching at the Carnegie Regional Tennis Centre, based at Leeds Metropolitan University.

At weekends there are tournaments all over the country where their progress can be tested.

The scholarship is the brainchild of the LTA development director, Patrice Hagelauer, formerly coach to Henri Leconte and Yannick Noah.

The boys are being coached by Laurence Kelly and James Turner.

Mr Kelly said: "We chose Woodhouse Grove because it has an excellent reputation academically and a strong sporting tradition. Boarding is very much a part of school life and the headmaster, David Humphreys, was very supportive of what we want to do.

"It really is ideal. We wanted it to be a team effort with the school and it is working out extremely well."

Headmaster David Humphreys said: "We were delighted to be selected by the LTA - it's a marvellous endorsement of what we can offer at Woodhouse Grove. It's a great opportunity for the boys to experience life at Woodhouse Grove and further their tennis careers.

"They have settled in extremely well and we will be following their progress with great interest."

The boys come from across the North of England.

Sean is from Washington, Tyne and Wear while Brett's home is in Warrington, Cheshire; Tom comes from Brough near Hull and Nikki Peel is from Gosforth, Newcastle-upon-Tyne.