A social club where women can play snooker only when chaperoned by men has accepted a battle of the baize with the world's top woman player.

Kelly Fisher, 21, has thrown down the gauntlet to the all-male committee at Sunnybank social club in Silsden, where women are only allowed to be social members.

She has agreed to play the club's top player in the best of three frames at a special charity event next Wednesday night.

And the Telegraph & Argus has pledged to donate £100 to a charity of the winner's choice.

Kelly said: "I didn't expect they would take up the challenge - I'm looking forward to it.

"I've only had a couple of problems playing men since I was 17 - usually they are very respectful.

"Men still think they are naturally better than women although they are now more wary with me. They often get a bit of stick from their mates when they get beaten - but it's all good fun."

Sunnybank allows women to play snooker only when they are accompanied by a man. And they are restricted to social members status which means they cannot vote or be officially involved in the running of the club.

Club treasurer Alwyn Bolton said: "The committee jumped at the chance of holding the challenge and we would like to run a charity raffle at the same time."

The club plans to raffle a signed calendar of the Dales WI women, in which is in aid of leukaemia research, and of the copy-cat Millennium Men calendar, produced to raise cash for the Daniel Yorath Appeal. It was set up by the Cardiomyopathy Association, after the sudden death of Bradford City coach Terry Yorath's 15-year-old son.

Mr Bolton said: "We want the event to be a fun night."

Club members are split over a decision to change the rules so that women can only hold the status of social members.

The all-male committee believes the constitution of the club should remain the same, but a group of women, backed by some male members, are calling for full membership.

Mother-of-three Fiona Clarke, 32, of Silsden, at present a social member, has re-applied to become a full member from February 1.

Birmingham-based Kelly, who this weekend competes in the Regal Welsh tournament in Cardiff, is the World, European and British women's champion.

She and fellow women player Emma Bonney, of Plymouth, play in the UK tour, the equivalent in snooker of the Football League first division.

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