Seven Basildon players - including two gold medallists - exploited home town advantage to reach the national finals of the disabled table tennis championships.

John Seatter and Betty Jeffery clinched Eastern area singles titles at the regional finals, against opposition from as far as Norwich and Ipswich.

A dozen members from Basildon Disabled Sports Club were among the 25 competitors at the Swan Mead Centre in Church Road.

Seatter also won the open event, while Basildon team-mate Jeffery came fourth in the women's equivalent event.

Success came too for Anne White, a silver medallist in the singles and the open; Kevin Mann and Gill Penning, both runner-up in their singles events; Gareth Cooper, singles' bronze winner; and Shelley Plumb and David Smith, who each came fourth.

National qualifiers were: Seatter, Jeffery, Plumb, Graham Pallett, Ralph Dennerley, White and Cooper.

Bat's great - five of the magnificent seven who have made it through to the national finals

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