Table tennis tables will be placed across Liverpool from next week, as a game involving a ping pong-playing robot launches the scheme.

The third annual Ping! event will see 30 table tennis tables placed across the city for people to pick up a paddle and play from 16 June. The tables will be available for six weeks at a host of Liverpool venues.

New Liverpool Lord Mayor, Councillor Tony Concepcion, will play ping pong against a robot supplied by Table Tennis England to launch the scheme, along with a host of table tennis stars.

He says: “Having all these tables located across the city means that’s convenient and easy for people to pick up a bat, and get involved in a fun, free activity.

“I’m looking forward to dusting off my bat and testing out my skills against the robot, but I have a feeling it’s going to be stiff competition!”

Ping! will launch on Tuesday 16 January with the visit of table tennis stars including GB Paralympian Jack Hunter Spivey, former GB Paralympian Mark Palmer, nine times Wirral and twice Liverpool men’s singles champion Jonathan Taylor, the 2015 Liverpool O/40’s, Lancashire men’s doubles champion Steve Green and a selection of England players.

Locations include Paradise Street, Albert Dock, Williamson Square, Camp and Furnace, Bluecoat Chambers and the city’s parks such as Sefton Park, Walton Hall Park, Newsham Park, Princes Park and Croxteth Park.

Other locations include Liverpool ONE, Liverpool Cricket Club, Liverpool University and Speke Hall.

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