Para World and Commonwealth champions will add some star quality to the Mark Bates Ltd National Championships later this month.

Birmingham 2022 gold medallist Jack Hunter-Spivey leads the field for the Para Class 3-5 singles, although his Commonwealth Games team-mate Dan Bullen misses out through injury.

Paralympic medallist Megan Shackleton, Simon Heaps, Lee York, Kevin Plowman and Andrew Green complete the wheelchair line-up invited by British Para Table Tennis.

In the Class 6-10 standing event, former world champion and Birmingham 2022 bronze medallist Ross Wilson heads a strong competition.

He will be up against world doubles champion Billy Shilton, Paralympic medallist Aaron McKibbin, Ash Facey – who has just returned to the sport after previously switching to cycling – European Universities Games champion Shae Thakker and rising star Max Flint.

As well as the singles competitions, which lead to championship matches on Finals Day, there will also be two showcase para doubles matches on the Saturday.

In the 6-10 bracket, Shilton & Wilson will take on Facey & McKibbin, while in the 3-5 bracket, Hunter-Spivey & Shackleton team up to face York & Heaps.

Tickets are still available for the tournament, but are selling well. Booking early is advised to avoid disappointment.

The full field for the Nationals on March 24-26 will be confirmed next week once the deadline for accepting invitations has passed.

The schedule and draws will then be confirmed around a week before the event, with the draws for the men’s and women’s singles knockout stages due to be held on the eve of the tournament, Thursday March 23.