York Family Tennis Tournament celebrates its silver jubilee next month, with the event being set to take place in Rowntree Park on Saturday and Sunday, May 3 and 4.

The tournament, sponsored by Terry's Suchard from 1979 to 1999 and since then by Nestl, has a unique formula.

Fathers and sons, mothers and daughters, and husbands and wives play in four different events on a round robin basis to enable families to enjoy a variety of opponents.

The tournament came into being following a chance conversation in 1977 between York professional tennis coach Gina Huntington and one of her British Tennis Coaches' Association colleagues John Crooke, who organised a similar event for the Wrekin Council in Shrewsbury.

The first York Family Tennis Tournament Committee was set up in 1978 consisting of Rene Boorman (Dunnington), Denis Herron (Heworth), Diana Hughes (York), Gina Huntington (Heslington), Brian Senior (York Recreation and Amenities Committee) and Gerry Spaven (York Junior Team Tennis).

The first tournament was held the following year, with Jean and Richard Cross winning the mixed doubles, Terry and Tony Precious the men's doubles and Jean and Jill Cross the women's doubles.

Since then the event has flourished, a husbands and wives doubles being added in 1986, with many youngsters coming through over the 25 years to make their mark on the York adult tennis scene.

Among them has been Steve Smith, York's leading singles player for a decade, who won the men's doubles with his father Geoff in 1982.

Andy Cooke, York's best doubles player in recent years, took the mixed doubles with his mother Beryl in 1985.

Kathryn Place got her name on the list of women's doubles champions; Terry Haw, who runs the Fulford Invitation Ladies' Doubles League, and his son Neil, were men's doubles champions; while Richard and Rosemary Cantrell, who are on the current committee, were husband and wife champions for the first time in 1989.

John Linfoot, York Lawn Tennis Club's chairman and a former Wimbledon official, and his son Nick were men's doubles champions in 2001.

Plans for next month's event include trying to encourage all from yesteryear, who have been involved in playing or organising, to attend. All contestants will be given a memento to mark the silver jubilee, while a celebration refreshment reception is also on the cards.

Chairman Stuart Langley said today: "Many sports have suffered a decline in numbers in recent years because youngsters are not coming through. We feel that this event gets over that problem with parents encouraging children to compete."

Entry forms have been distributed to all clubs, but any further information and forms can be obtained from Lynda Pearson, Woodstock, Main Street, Poppleton, York YO26 6DL (tel 01904 795843).

The closing date is Friday, April 25, and the draw takes place on Monday, April 28.

Updated: 11:04 Friday, April 18, 2003