AFTER being inspired by watching the sport on television at the London Olympics, a Basingstoke man has taken up the mantle of setting up north Hampshire’s first handball club.

Paul Crisford, who is 32 and lives in Winklebury, decided that he wanted to take up handball after watching the sport at last year’s games – but, with no existing club in north Hampshire, he decided to create one.

Basingstoke and Deane Borough Council agreed to help and the North Hampshire Handball Club will meet for the first time on Saturday, February 2.

Crisford said: “Like many people, I was inspired by the 2012 London Olympics and Paralympics. The sport that caught my imagination was handball, but it didn’t take long to discover there was no provision for this exciting game in the local area.

“I decided that, if I was to have a go at the sport, I would have to do something about it myself.”

Handball is an indoor team sport in which two teams of seven players attempt to throw a ball into the goal of the other team. It is played over two periods of 30 minutes and the team with the most goals wins.

North Hampshire Handball Club’s initial meetings will comprise of a six-week basic training course. Starting on February 2, sessions will take place between 1pm and 2pm on Saturdays at Everest Community Academy, in Popley, Basingstoke.

The aim is for participants to be able to play a full competitive game by the end of the course, with sessions on elements such as the rules of the game, passing, shooting and blocking.

The cost of the full course is £20 and for details of how to sign up, visit http://northhantshandball.moonfruit.com/#

Crisford added: “We have big plans for the future. If we get enough people signing up, we are hoping to start regular training sessions with a view to forming competitive teams for both men and women.

“Our long term plans include expansion to a youth section as well. What we need right now though is for people to sign up to the first six weeks of training.”