Basked in sunshine, Lowestoft seafront provided the perfect sporting backdrop yesterday (Saturday) as a popular tournament returned to town.

Lowestoft Journal: Lowestoft beach volleyball tournament on South beach.Picture: James BassLowestoft beach volleyball tournament on South beach.Picture: James Bass (Image: (C) Archant Norfolk 2015)

More than 30 teams took to the sands once more to compete in Lowestoft's annual beach volleyball tournament.

Teams of three from across Suffolk and Norfolk battled it out all day on Lowestoft's South Beach – and with the fine weather helping to draw the crowds, organisers have hailed the event as a success once more.

The tournament ran from 9.30am to about 4.15pm yesterday on the sands south of Claremont Pier, with separate competitions for novice, intermediate level and advanced players.

Courts were also set up to encourage passers-by and beginners to get involved on the have-a-go practice nets.

Open to men and women, the main event saw teams competing in 20-minute matches across six courts.

With matches played in a round robin format, there was one league of novice players, four leagues at intermediate level and one league at advanced level – with the 31 teams all battling it out in the hope of reaching the finals.

And with the players showing off their skills with some spectacular serves, digs, sets and spikes, the action was keenly contested throughout.

The tournament has been running in Lowestoft for more than 25 years, and one of the organisers, Julia Hunt, said this year's event went 'fantastically well.'

She said that the weather had been superb and had helped attract good crowds.

She added: 'We have had a similar number of teams playing the last few years and because the tournament does run so well we have seen a brilliant range of standards of play.

'What I like about the tournament is that it is turning into a day for the whole family – it is a family, fun day.'

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