TEN avid tennis players will serve up an ace tribute to a friend who passed away from cancer.

The members of Gullane Tennis Club will cycle more than 70 kilometres and take part in six hours of cardio tennis, visiting six East Lothian tennis clubs along the way.

Together, they hope to raise more than £15,000 for Maggie’s Centres.

Among those taking part is Iona Knottenbelt, who was looking forward to the event on June 17.

She said: “It is all about raising as much money as we can for Maggie’s in honour of our very dear friend Annette Fox, who passed away from breast cancer five years ago.

“Her and her family were amazingly well supported by Maggie’s.

“We did pretty much the same six years ago with Annette. When we did it six years ago, we raised just under £15,000 for Maggie’s.

“Five years on from when she passed on, we are doing it in memory of her and inspired by her to give something back to Maggie’s, who were incredible to her and her family and all the people supported by them.”

Joining Iona at their home club at 7am will be Caroline Freeman, Debbie Spens, Cat Fraser Harris, Sarah Lang, Hilary Matthews, Sandra Pardoe, Clare Tulloch, Annabel Stirling and Kerry Kerr.

Annabel and Kerry have been tasked with organising the busy day, which will see the group cycle to Longniddry before heading to Haddington, East Linton, Dunbar and North Berwick before returning to Gullane.

At each venue, they will swap bicycles for tennis rackets.

Iona, who works for Rettie & Co, said: “Cardio tennis is an exercise class that is an hour long, done to music and it is meant to raise your heart rate.

“You hit a few balls during the process, quite a few balls, and run round the court.”

Each stop will host fundraising activities, and the cardio tennis exercise sessions are open to all.

Among the fundraisers are a raffle and online auction, with prizes ranging from fourballs at Muirfield, Gullane and North Berwick golf clubs to the chance to enjoy a ride on a tractor.

The grand finale of the fundraiser, which is sponsored by McInroy & Wood and Rettie & Co, takes place in Gullane, where there will be a raffle, tombola, barbecue and refreshments.

Maggie’s, which has centres across Scotland in Edinburgh, Glasgow, Airdrie, Larbert, Kirkcaldy, Aberdeen and Inverness, provides free cancer support and information.

Annette, who lived in Drem with husband Pete Fox and children Emelia and Thomas, passed away in 2017.

As well as being an award-winning tennis coach, Iona said of Annette: “She was a very good friend to all of us.”

To join in cardio tennis, go to game-set-cycle.myshopify.com, to make a donation visit justgiving.com/fundraising/gamesetcycle2 or to bid for an item in the auction, go to uk.givergy.com/Gamesetcycle