ACLE St Edmunds Bowls Club retained the Norfolk EBA County Bowls Championship by half a point from Hunstanton and on Sunday were determined to complete the double by winning the Lovewell Blake Malta Cup Championship held on the Britannia Greens at Great Yarmouth.

ACLE St Edmunds Bowls Club retained the Norfolk EBA County Bowls Championship by half a point from Hunstanton and on Sunday were determined to complete the double by winning the Lovewell Blake Malta Cup Championship held on the Britannia Greens at Great Yarmouth.

Playing Caister in the semi-finals they went 20 shots up after five ends, extended it to 26 shots after 10 ends and won 97-45. R Meek's block led the way with a 27-5 victory.

The other semi-final saw Freethorpe go into a 36-12 lead over Browston after five ends, 65-30 after 10 to end convincing winners by 109-53. Top block was John Harris 31-15.

In the Acle-Freethorpe final, after five ends Acle went five shots up and increased the advantage to 10 shots after 10 ends. Freethorpe came back and the gap closed to three shots at 13 ends, but Acle responded well and went on to win the trophy by 76-54 with R Meeks winning 25-14.

This gives Acle the record by winning the trophy six times on the trot.

In the play-off for third place Caister lost on three rinks to Browston but Bryan Hipgrave's block for Caister could do no wrong as they won 31-1 for a win for Caister 76-65.

The Lovewell Blake Ladies' League was won by Freethorpe, and they played a league representative team in a 14-end friendly at midday.

League chairman Bimbo Meeks thanked secretary Derek Webster for his work during the season.

Russell Leggett from Lovewell Blake presented the cups and cheques to the winners and runners-up and was thanked for his firm's continued sponsorship.