A COUNTY schoolgirl will be among the best young table tennis players in Europe battling for supremacy as Worcester hosts a major international tournament.

The Europe Youth Top 10 is at the University of Worcester Arena from Friday until Sunday.

It will feature the top 10 boys and girls in the European rankings in the junior under 18 and cadet under 15 age groups.

Charlotte Bardsley, who attends Heathfield School in Wolverley, has been given a host nation wildcard in the cadet girls although at number 15 she was close to qualifying anyway.

England’s Tom Jarvis is ranked seventh in the junior boys’ category while Denise Payet (junior girls) and Ethan Walsh (cadet boys) have been granted wildcards.

They will take on the other nine players in their categories on a round-robin basis to determine the champions.

The tournament has been won by some of the giants of the European game including English number one Paul Drinkhall and London Olympics bronze medallist Dimitrij Ovtcharov from Germany.

Bardsley, of Stourbridge, said: “I’m really excited for the competition. It’s a great opportunity and I think I’ve got a good chance.

“I was 15th in the rankings so it shows I’m there or thereabouts and hopefully I can prove something.

“It’s great that it’s in England because you’ve got all the support behind you and it’s kind of my home city so it will be great if I can do well.”

Tickets for the event are on sale from £3 via tabletennisengland.co.uk/tickets.