Elderly and disabled Hove bowlers are hoping a new machine will give them the chance to carry on playing.

Hangleton Indoor Bowls Club has been welcoming players for nearly 25 years to play on the indoor mats and enjoy the friendly atmosphere at the community centre in Harmsworth Crescent.

But in recent years they have been struggling to deal with the large indoor mats that have to be rolled out to play and put away afterwards.

So they have set their sights on getting hold of an automatic electric roller to handle the 45-ft playing surface.

Catherine Goode, club treasurer and secretary, said: “We have an age range from 63 to 95 and it’s hard on them having to roll up the mat after the games.

“There’s not many of these electric rollers around because you can’t just go into a shop and buy one, you have to order them.

“They can be quite expensive, they can cost about £5,280.”

But the group is hoping somebody could donate a machine or a kind hearted Samaritan may help fund the purchase of a new one.

They have been helped in the past by grants from Christmas collections but with money running short they have stepped up their search.

Conservative councillor Dawn Barnett is one of those that has tried to support the group over the years.

Ernie Goacher, chairman of the club, said: “We’ve not got anyone who can role these mats up so often we don’t use them. It would be great if we could get an automatic machine to help us.

"It might bring some more members in as well.”