PEOPLE with a love of the ocean life are being urged to stretch their legs and join the Bromsgrove Boaters for a voyage on the open seas.

Always keen to attract new members, the club will set sail on yachts from the south coast in June, cutting across the channel to the north Brittany coast.

The club, which was formed more than 20 years ago, started when Bromsgrove college lecturers wanted to give practical experience to their pupils studying a sailing course.

They set up sailing weekends and the idea expanded until a club was born and today has 150 members.

Today there is a high proportion of women who have joined and many have become skippers in their own right.

The club meets every third Wednesday in the month at Bromsgrove Rugby Club, in Finstall Road, Aston Fields, where they discuss sailing matters, plan voyages and have guest speakers providing their expert advice.

Over the years they have been joined by many guest speakers including Lisa Clayton and Claire Francis.

Bromsgrove Boaters also provide courses in sea survival and first aid and is open to people with little or no previous experience aged from 13 to 70.

Treasurer and committee organiser John Barnett said: "In short, you can join our club and go from having no or little previous experience to sailing the oceans at a minimum cost.

"We provide people the chance to enjoy off- shore sailing economically in a safe environment."

For further information call John on 0121 445 2807.