Suffolk's first padel courts could be installed in Tuddenham Road, Ipswich, as the leading developer of the new racket sport starts a partnership with Ipswich Sports Club.

Padel is a fast-growing sport, pitched as a combination between tennis and squash, and the leading developer of padel courts in the UK is starting to invest in Suffolk.

A proposal for Game4Padel to construct four courts at Ipswich Sports Club is to be presented to the borough council, with the goal to have them installed this summer.

If approved, they will form the largest padel centre in East Anglia and the covered courts will allow for play all-year-round.

And a pop-up court to give people a taste of the sport could be coming to Henley Road within the next few weeks.

Speaking about the new centre, Ipswich Sports Club director Alec Livingstone said: "We have seen how quickly the game is growing worldwide - it is really sociable, great fun and easy to pick up - you don't need any previous tennis or squash experience to play.

"I am sure that with the sports club's experience in racket sports, combined with Game4Padel's undoubted expertise, we can deliver an exciting new sporting opportunity for Suffolk."

Game4Padel's co-founder and CEO, Michael Gradon, added: "In the past year, there has been unprecedented demand for new padel courts around the country - it's really gaining momentum as people become addicted to this fun, new sport.

"At Game4Padel we are leading the way in terms of installing courts, offering funding to venues and managing facilities to ensure courts are well used.

"We plan to have up to 50 padel venues open by the end of 2022.

"We are absolutely thrilled to partner with Ipswich Sports Club - the area's premier tennis, squash and hockey club - to create a flagship padel venue and the first padel courts in Suffolk."

Investors in the sport include Andy Murray and Annabel Croft and it is played by celebs from Jurgen Klopp to Nicole Scherzinger.

It is reported that padel is now the second biggest participation sport after football in Spain and in Sweden more than 500,000 people have taken up the sport in the past three years.