A successful Yarmouth Bowls Festival drew to a close with the RG Carter pairing of Keith Hutson and David Foster winning the over-60s open pairs title.

A successful Yarmouth Bowls Festival drew to a close last Friday with the RG Carter pairing of Keith Hutson and David Foster winning the over-60s open pairs title.

They completed a popular success by beating Ian Platford and John Cooper from Lowestoft

15-11 in the final of the event, sponsored by the Pub of the Prom.

In the quarter-finals Platford and Cooper beat P Chilvers and B Hubbard 11-9. T Jermy and N Gant failed to reach the next round with an 18-8 loss to Gordon Fellingham and 81-year-old Stan Smith. Trevor Gowan and Graham Eaglestone, of Sparrows Nest, moved into the semi-finals after winning 12-10 against D Sparks and R Beever.

Hutson and Foster overwhelmed T Miller and J Carr, winning 22-5.

The first semi-final brought together Gowan and Eaglestone and Hutson and Foster. This match was evenly contested and at six ends the scores were level at 5-5. Hutson and Foster then found something extra to pick up a six and a three on two consecutive ends to win comfortably 16-7.

The second semi-final drew Cooper and Platford against Smith and Fellingham in an

all-Lowestoft semi-final.

At six ends Fellingham and Smith led 8-2. Platford and Cooper then got their act together and found themselves only one shot behind at 10 ends, 9-10. This game rested on the last end, with the head changing several times before Platford and Cooper won 11-10.

In the final it was the pairing from R G Carter who took the early initiative, leading 5-0 after only two ends. After four ends the same pair had still not allowed their opponents to score and led 9-0. At eight ends the Lowestoft pair had come back into the game to be only four behind at

6-10.

With two ends to be played, the Lowestoft pair found themselves in an almost impossible position at 6-15, and although they kept battling to the end it was to no avail.

The festival drew to a conclusion with the mayor of Great Yarmouth, Terry Easter, presenting a cheque for £3,175 to the JPUH Kidney Department for money raised during the festival. A special presentation of the Nelson Trophy was made by the mayor to Eric Crouch for his loyalty and dedication to the festival of bowls for over 25 years.

Men's singles: R Allen (St Lawrence) beat M Royal 21-19. Men's pairs: T Jermy and M Turner (County Arts) beat S Elliott and D Rowsell (Acle) 19-8. Men's triples: B Hunt, M Brown and B Taylor (County Arts) beat R Summers, J Hunter and B Perrett (Honingham) 21-10. Men's fours: R Dodd, N Coverdale, D Page and M Riches (Cawston) beat B Nurse, K Frohawk, P Shackcloth and J Roope (Mixed) 27-20. Ladies' singles: C Wadlow (St Lawrence) beat M Himpleman (Acle) 21-13. Ladies' pairs: M Haylett and G Reeve (Mixed) beat S Allen and E Adams (Mixed) 28-20. Ladies' triples: J Arnott, A Chambers and C Wadlow (St Lawrence) beat M Baird, L Shorter and G Reeve (Mixed) 19-13.

Under-25 open singles: J Willgress (NBC) beat M Flatman (Wymondham Dell)

21-11. Mixed pairs: G Reeve and T Dunton (Acle) beat M Woods and I Platford (Lowestoft) 14-6. Mixed triples: E Cole, D Cole, P Webb (Great Plumstead) beat E Thacker, E Crouch and R Thacker (Mixed) 19-3. Over-60s open singles: T Jermy (County Arts) beat R Eglington (Reepham Private) 18-9. Over-60s open pairs: K Hutson and D Foster (RG Carter) beat I Cooper and I Platford (Lowestoft) 15-11.