The Ping! festival clocked up more than 1.5 million visits to public tables in towns and cities across England in 2017.

A record 24 towns and cities took part in the eighth annual festival, which is funded by Sport England under a separate budget to the general funding received by Table Tennis England.

The initiative places tables where people already spend time, and this summer some 770 tables were in use in the participating areas, with a team of volunteers ensuring they were stocked with bats and balls and also hosting special events at the tables.

The aim is to encourage people to lead more active and healthy lives by picking up a bat and having a go – and hopefully motivate many of them to continue to play long-term.

For more information, check out the infographic below or visit the Ping! website.