An Ashby man has been selected to represent the Men's Over40s Great Britain Basketball Team at the upcoming European Championships in Spain.

Bruce Lauder will make the trip this summer.

But the squad's funding has been cut and the players are looking for partners to support their costs.

The event will be held in Malaga, during June and July and there will be 15 GB teams across different age groups attending.

Bruce explained: "It's the first time any Masters Men's GB team has been represented on the global stage

"But the Over-40s is the marquee event, with all games live streamed to 55 countries

"Forty different countries are represented across age groups from O35 - O80 in both Men's and Women's events.

"We are looking for Platinum (£5k) and Gold (£1k) partners for the O40s team to go towards tournament and travel costs."

Bruce, a director of agricultural tyre company Trelleborg, plays his regular basketball in Market Bosworth after playing for Nottingham Hoods.

It was in Nottingham that Bruce met his wife Charlie who was his basketball coach.

Bruce said: "I stopped playing for Nottingham in the 2012-13 season when I realised I was missing my son growing up.

"I was all over the country at the weekend and we'd had a newborn - so I had to get my priorities right.

"The international game I'm involved in now is something I'd never have dreamed of.

"I was a rugby man and had played it all my life. But I got injured and couldn't play any more. Then I got into basketball at university.

"All of a sudden I was selected to play at GB training camps - and now I'll be playing in the European Championships this summer."

Now Bruce is looking for financial support to help him play in the tournament.

He added: "We're having to self-fund everything, flights, hotels, the lot.

"We're looking for partners to support us on the journey.

"At the moment, we're looking for gold and platinum packages.

"Sponsors' names will be on our kit and training kits. Eastern Europe is very strong in terms of support along with Spain, Greece and Italy in terms of TV coverage."

If you want find out more about sponsoring Bruce, you can arrange a meeting and contact him at [email protected].