WORCESTER Wolves Basketball Club are celebrating after winning a £70,000 grant to install new permanent seating for spectators at their home matches.

The National League Division One club have been given the green light by the Foundation for Sport and the Arts for a grant towards the £100,000 cost of installing around 500 seats and additional emergency exits at their home venue, University College Worcester.

Wolves attracted full houses of around 400 at many of their home games last season.

The new seats, which should be in place by the start of the new season in September, will not only increase spectator capacity but also make them eligible for further promotion.

Without fixed seating the club would either have had to turn down promotion or move to another venue had they finished in a high enough position.

The club's Director of Operations Mick Donovan said: "At a lot of our games last season people had to stand.

"Now everyone will get a seat with a better view, and we will no longer have to spend two hours getting out carpets and setting out seats."

The club had to find the balance of the money themselves for the seats, which can be removed when not in use and can also be used for other sports played in the hall.

UCW have given their backing to the plans, which also had support from Worcester MP Michael Foster, who regularly watches Wolves' home games with his family.

Wolves have also begun strengthening their squad in preparation for the new season, having just missed the play-offs last year in their first season in Division One.

Colin Rhooms, a former player for the old Worcester Chiefs club, has been recruited from Coventry Crusaders, while they are close to agreeing terms with young American star Joshua Cooprider.

The 21-year-old shooting guard is one of the star players at Nazarene University, Idaho, where Wolves' head coach Rick Solvason also studied.

Donovan added: "We have spoken to all his coaches and he is coming with a really good reputation.

"He will be a massive signing for us. To get an American of that age to come to this country is very unusual because they normally go to play in Europe."

Wolves also hope to recruit Robbie Bowen, a 6ft 7in forward formerly with Derby Storm, while they are also looking at a guard and shooter from Birmingham Bullets.