CORSHAM Hockey Club will bring the sport back to the town when they open their doors this summer.

The newly-formed club, who are set to play on the brand-new artificial pitch at the Springfield Community Campus, have entered a men’s team into the Davis Wood League.

Melksham Ladies’ two teams, who ply their trade in the West Clubs League, are planning to become Corsham’s new ladies’ sides.

Vice-chairman Simon Jackson, whose new club will also be running a junior and minis section, has determined that Corsham had a hockey club before but conceded the old institution’s history has been lost to the sands of time.

“I’ve been in to the library and dug out an old photo from 1964 but I haven’t been able to find anything else about the club – that might have been one of the last photos taken,” said Jackson, also set to become club captain.

“All we know was that it was pre-internet, so we haven’t been able to find much written on it “There were four of us who instigated things and decided that setting up a club in Corsham would be a great thing for lots of people in the local area – we’ve had lots of interest from players already.

“We’re going to be playing at a new facility and we’re also bringing in Dave Ward, from Chippenham, as our coach. He’s played at national level and still plays masters hockey now.

“Having someone like that on board is going to be fantastic for us because he’s one of the top coaches in Wilt-shire and maybe even in the South West.”

Lorraine Robinson and Mark Dallaway will operate as secretary and treasurer respectively, while Melk-sham Ladies chairman Sally Robinson will be chairman.

She said: “At Melksham, we were finding that we were struggling to find players in that 16-24 age group and we were finding it hard because we trained all the way over at Stonar School.

“So the best thing to do was to fold Melksham and come over to Corsham because we were like puzzle pieces without a picture.

“Corsham has a good football club, a good cricket club and a good rugby club, and I think it will be nice to have the sport back in the town.

“We’ve had great support already from the local schools – Chippenham and Devizes have good junior and mini sections, but there hasn’t been one in this area.”

Corsham have an open day for people of all abilities at their Springfield base on May 17. See pitchero.com/clubs/cor shamclub.

FOR MORE SPORTS NEWS, REPORTS & PICTURES SEE THURSDAY’S GAZETTE AND HERALD AND FRIDAY'S WILTSHIRE TIMES. FOLLOW US ON TWITTER @gazsport AND @WTSport