AN 83-year-old hockey player will reunite with old friends when he takes part in a tournament on the other side of the world this month.

Colin Birtles is set to take to the field in the Christchurch Casino Golden Oldies Sports Celebration in New Zealand.

The former North of England over 70s player, who has a long background with Wilmslow Hockey Club, is a regular competitor in the Golden Oldies festivals as a member of the Irish Gamesters team.

He has been a member of the Gamesters, hockey enthusiasts from England, Ireland, Canada and New Zealand, since 2009.

The team get together every couple of years to tour the world playing Golden Oldies hockey festivals and this year’s adventure takes him to New Zealand’s South Island where he will be among around 5,000 others from 16 countries taking part in rugby, netball, cricket, bowls, golf and hockey throughout April.

Renowned for their festive atmosphere, Golden Oldies Sport Festivals are open to men and women aged 35 and beyond who want to play their chosen sport in friendly international competition, giving players an opportunity to play and socialise with friends and fellow sports lovers in remarkable locations all over the world.

Birtles has only ever missed one Golden Oldies sports tournament – that was when a gallstones operation kept him from joining his team in Cape Town, South Africa.

He says he is looking forward to making the 18,000km pilgrimage to meet up with old friends and teammates and taking in the sights and sounds of Christchurch.

“Hockey festivals are great social events, because you don’t just play the hockey but have a beer afterwards with the opposition,” he said.

Originally a footballer in his youth, Birtles says he first picked up a hockey stick during his national service in the Royal Navy a “long, long time ago” before joining Wilmslow Hockey Club where he is now a vice-president and regular spectator.

“I played for the North of England over 70s team until a knee operation stopped my late regional career,” said Birtles, who during his working life had a long history in the transport industry, driving long-haul trucks and for the past eight years offers his services to elderly residents as a volunteer driver.

Up until his late 70s he was a regular in Wilmslow's fourth team until a facial injury caused him to call time on league hockey.

He last played for the club at Styal last summer in a friendly between a WHC mixed team and a Dublin Summer League touring side.

Although he will be the oldest hockey player in attendance in this year's Golden Oldies event, he has been gazumped to the title of oldest across all the sports as Christchurch is to be welcoming an 86-year-old rugby player from Japan.

He will jet out to New Zealand on April 11 in preparation for matches the following week.

Christchurch Casino Golden Oldies Sports Celebration is organised by Vintage Sport and Leisure and supported by city promotions agency ChristchurchNZ.