An avid tennis player has set up a campaign to fight plans he claims would be a "devastating blow" to the sport in Wirral.

Wirral Council needs to save £20m in order to escape its budget black hole, with two damning government reports published last November saying the authority must spend less on leisure services.

The cuts plan would see 11 libraries, Woodchurch Leisure Centre and two public golf courses closed down.

A proposal to shut the indoor courts at Wirral Tennis Centre for a year, before reopening just three of the current six courts once an upgrade has taken place is also part of the plans.

None of the budget plans are set in stone yet, as the public consultation is currently taking place and councillors have the option of rejecting or changing any proposal.

But the council must agree a balanced budget which saves £20m at a full council meeting on February 28, with decisions on specific plans to be made in late May or June.

Richard Wilberforce, 70, from Wallasey, who is organising a petition against the council's plans, said the tennis courts were "unique" in the borough with no other indoor courts available and that players were "angry and bewildered" about the proposal.

Council documents say the temporary closure would allow an upgrade to the centre to take place and that an independent consultant has said the current facilities at the site do not complement local needs and demographics.

The three tennis courts set to go will be replaced with an "extensive" soft play and gymnastics offer.

As well as this, a second 3G astroturf football pitch would be built within the outside grounds of the site in a funding partnership between the Football Foundation and the council.

Wirral Council believes the redesigned centre, which involves the loss of three tennis courts, would provide an estimated saving of £114,000 per year.

Commenting on the plans, Mr Wilberforce said: "This would be a devastating blow to local tennis players as Bidston is the only facility in Wirral where indoor tennis can be played.

"There is nowhere else for tennis players to get their exercise during inclement weather.

"The indoor courts at Bidston are well used and much loved. As well as enhancing the health, fitness and wellbeing of local people, it is a first-class venue which has hosted national and international tennis tournaments, bringing a status and revenue to the Wirral."

Mr Wilberforce added that despite support from the Lawn Tennis Association, the national governing body, Wirral Council had "failed" to make the courts a financial success, something he thought was not inevitable.

He continued: "The success of other indoor tennis facilities in the UK shows there are alternative business models which could turn the situation around.

"It is appreciated that the council needs to make cost savings regarding leisure facilities, but Bidston does not need to be a cost burden."

On the council's budget consultation website, the authority reminded residents that it is facing "significant financial challenges" and is going through a "detailed process" to set a budget for the upcoming financial year.

The comment added: "The council is legally obliged to set a balanced budget or risk government intervention, and the savings measures currently being proposed are intended to put the authority on a stable financial footing for the long-term."

A spokesperson for the Lawn Tennis Association said: "The LTA is very concerned about the future of Wirral Tennis Centre, and the plans to cut the number of indoor courts. The centre is vital in providing a wide range of tennis opportunities for the local community and is particularly important in helping deliver disability tennis in the region.

"Following the on-court success of British players like Emma Raducanu, Cam Norrie, Alfie Hewett and Sir Andy Murray now is a time to capitalise on this and inspire more people to play the game.

"Whilst we understand the financial pressures that local authorities are facing, we already work with a number of operators around the country who successfully operate sustainable indoor tennis facilities.

"We have written to the council and are keen to meet them to find a solution for the centre that can help retain the indoor courts and deliver savings for the council."