NEW 'laser tag' games for children in Tankersley are taking off and will be an added attraction to the area, according to the parish council.

Chris Chappell has been trialling laser tag games in the wood behind Tankersley Manor. The events run on weekends and are for groups of up to 16 at a time.

Chris previously ran paintball games at woodland near the Strines for many years.

He has just leased the wood off Church Lane in Tankersley from Wentworth Estate for the laser tag games.

Laser tag is like Quasar - which is the indoor version. The guns fire infrared beams like a TV remote control and look similar to machine guns which fire the beams up to 200 metres. The beams are completely safe and silent.

Mr Chappell has built a wooden fort out of pallets on a hill in the wood and bought a portable building with a toilet for customers.

 

One of the conditions of the lease is that if he leaves, he must remove any equipment and return the wood to its original state.

 

He said: "I didn't think I would be so busy. Originally, I thought I would just work the odd Saturday or Sunday but I have now found that I have been surprisingly busy after placing adverts on Groupon and other voucher companies."

 

He also wants to run evening games once a week for youth groups and discount events on summer nights.

Mr Chappell, who is also a regular charity fundraiser, has written to Tankersley parish council telling members that he has "cleaned up the wood and removed tons of rubbish" as well as repaired a fence surrounding it.

Helen Reckless, chairwoman of the council, told The Chronicle this week: "He started this and it's taken off way beyond what he could have imagined. It's good news for him and an added attraction to the parish."

The official opening day of laser tag in Tankersley is Sunday June 29.