TRAIN services in part of west Wirral will be shut down for almost two weeks during the Ricoh Women’s British Open 2012.

The tournament will be taking place at the Royal Liverpool Golf Club from September 13 to 16, its first time at the Wirral club.

As part of its preparations Wirral council said trains between Hoylake and West Kirby will be suspended from Thursday, September 6 for 13 days to allow for construction of a level crossing from Morpeth Road to the practice ground.

This will allow safe access for players and spectators to the official practice ground on Hoylake Municipal Golf Course. Bus services will replace trains between Hoylake and West Kirby.

In 2010 crowd figures of around 60,000 attended the competition at Royal Birkdale. Although these numbers are dwarfed by the 230,000 who attended the men’s event in 2006, the tournament remains hugely important in terms of retaining Merseyside’s prominence as a golfing destination.

As the only women’s major played outside the US the Ricoh Women’s British Open is the most international with the 2011 field boasting players from 20 different nations, including the world’s top 15.

The field for 2012 is expected to include the reigning champion Yani Tseng, Americans Michelle Wie and Paula Creamer, Solheim Cup winners Melissa Reid, Caroline Hedwall and Laura Davies amongst others.

Council leader Phil Davies said the event would be “a fantastic opportunity to showcase the borough”.

Cllr Davies said: “In terms of the public attention we will get it’s extremely valuable for us.”

More details on travel to and from the tournament are on the council website at www.wirral.gov.uk