Wirral Ladies’ Golf Club has reached a significant milestone by electing a man as joint captain.

John Hughes will be confirmed as captain to share the office with Janet Mills – a break in club tradition stretching back to 1894.

Club manager Peter Greville said: “Members were consulted over 12 months and it members expressed the opinion that joint captaincy was the best way forward.

“This is a genuine mixed club. There are more men golfers than women and the men were happy to maintain club traditions.

"But this was forced on us to some extent to comply with the 2010 Equality Act.”

The 1894 articles of association of the club dictated that committee members should be all female and that structure remained in place until the late 1990’s.

Men members were then given the vote and have been able to serve on all committees. More recent equality changes have allowed male members to stand for election as chairman of various committees and three years ago the first male chairman of the management committee was appointed.

Last year the club became the first in Wirral to achieve the Golf Mark accreditation.

Cheshire County Development Officer Craig Thomas said: "Wirral Ladies’ is a well established club which has already worked hard to introduce people of all ages to golf.

“The Golf Mark achievement now allows the club to build on that success. It is good to see such a long standing organisation taking a proactive approach to the future and laying down plans to encourage the next generation of golfers."

Mr Greville said: The members are very mindful of the great traditions of Wirral Ladies’ Golf Club but this historical change to appoint joint male and female club captains further demonstrates the club’s ability to adapt and move forward.”