Scarborough umpire Lester Smith ready for 'once-in-a-lifetime' Commonwealth Games role

Smith, 58, is one of the team of umpires appointed to take charge of matches at the table tennis and para table tennis events at Birmingham 2022 this summer.

He will be one of 18 English and 18 international officials working under the direction of English referee Karen Tonge BBE at the Games, which get under way on July 28.

Smith has been umpiring for seven years, having previously been a football referee at National League North level.

He said: “As someone more mature than some of the other umpires, it’s a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity for me.

“You get the best seat to watch some of the best players. You can hear and almost feel the game, you are that near to it.

“Yes, we’ve got to officiate, but we still watch the best players in the world from the best seat in the house.”