The Big Hit, which has already visited shopping centres in Manchester, Sheffield, London, Birmingham and Hull since being launched in January this year, aims to reach 10 cities across England by the end of the year.

Organisers of the initiative have said the temporary courts erected in empty retail spaces have proven a big hit with members of the public, who are offered a free trial of the sport and vouchers for free sessions at nearby clubs and leisure centres.

"This is the perfect way to utilise empty retail space around the country," said ESR head of development Steve Amos.

"We are able to reach out to the public in a completely different way and give them the opportunity to try squash.

"Not only are we raising the profile of our sport but also introducing people to their nearest courts and Big Hit sessions.

"Pop Up squash is part of the wider Big Hit campaign that works with public facilities and clubs to help increase participation...it is a concept that could easily be replicated across the world and is an initiative that England Squash and Racketball are extremely proud of and would encourage other federations to try."

The first pop-up court went to Sheffield where it was featured in a piece by the BBC, which, according to ESR chief executive officer Nick Rider, contributed to the campaign's initial success.

"We were inundated from shopping centres across the country after our first pop up squash shop was shown on BBC TV," he said.

"The coverage led to the opportunity to have a month-long shop at Westfield Stratford, Europe's largest shopping centre next to the Olympic Stadium in London."

A pop-up squash court was open to the public for a month at Europe's biggest shopping centre at Westfield Stratford in London