THE annual festival of bowls produced another week of enthralling high-quality action of the seafront greens at Great Yarmouth.Jamie Chestney won the blue riband event of the festival when he lifted the Palace Bingo men's singles trophy.

THE annual festival of bowls produced another week of enthralling high-quality action of the seafront greens at Great Yarmouth.

Jamie Chestney won the blue riband event of the festival when he lifted the Palace Bingo men's singles trophy.

The final against Reepham Private's Peter Wilkinson, played in windy conditions, was very tight for 11 ends, with the score locked at 9-9.

Chestney, of the Hunstanton and Fakenham Gallow indoor clubs, then scored 12 shots to Wilkinson's two to win 21-11 to secure the title.

Chestney was in devastating form in the quarter-finals, hammering Wayne Willgress 21-0, and reached the final by seeing off John Hunter 21-16.

Wilkinson beat Mark Flatmen (Wymondham Dell) 21-8 to reach the last four. There was never more than four shots in his semi-final against Acle's John Colcombe, with Wilkinson winning 21-17.

With just over 140 entries, there was an early major shock when last year s runner-up and winner in 2000, 2004 and 2006 Mark Royal of the Rookery bowls Club was beaten 21-18 by Ken Dunn of the host club and also a member of the tournament organizing committee.

The Eastern Daily Press ladies' triples was won by the mixed team of Mary Baird, Liz Shorter and Geraldine Reeve.

In the semi-finals they played Molly Auld, Fay Moll and Janet Church. At 11 ends the match was closely contested, with the score 8-7 in favour of Janet and her team. Geraldine and her partners then scored 10 shots over the next six ends to race into a 16-8 lead and ran out winners 16-11.

The second semi-final was a one-sided game, with Alisha Segasby, Susan King and Harriet Segasby always in control over Jane Watson, Debbie Nicholson and Bing Smith (Martham), the Hunstanton trio running out winners 20-9.

The final turned out to be comfortable for Geraldine and her colleagues, who recorded a 24-6 win to take the title.

Tony Dunton and Geraldine Reeve came out on top in a thrilling final to retain their mixed pairs title on Tuesday.

The Acle pair saw off the determined challenge of Terry Gibson and Sheila Hardingham of Dilham to secure a 10-6 victory.

The final, played in front of a large gallery of appreciative spectators in brilliant sunshine, proved to be as good as anticipated.

At five ends the scores were level at 3-3 but on the eighth end Tony and Geraldine scored a four to lead 9-3.

They then continued in the same vein to pick up winners' trophy, sponsored by Great Yarmouth Tourism, for the second consecutive year.

The quarter-finals began with Dunton and Reeve progressing through to the last four with a comfortable 13-shot victory over Doreen Stapleton of March and David Wakefield of St Laurence.

Sheila and Colin Neal of East Sussex also made the semi-finals with an equally convincing 16-7 win over Joyce Amos and Russell Garrod of Lowestoft.

Gibson and Hardingham were involved in a much closer game, eventually beating Peter Wilkinson and Helen Wilkinson 14-11.

The last of the quarter-finals brought together Ken Dunn of Great Yarmouth and Debbie Nicholson of Martham and the husband and wife team of Liz and Derek Shorter, with the latter pair winning 16-8 to go through to meet Gibson and Hardingham in the semi-finals.

The semi-final between the Shorters and Gibson and Hardingham began with a flourish.

A four on the first end saw Terry and Sheila take an early lead but Derek and Liz replied with a five of their own. This could not continue and the Shorters found themselves being swamped 19-6, allowing Terry and Sheila to progress to the final.

Denton and Reeve reached the final after a close game against the Neals, who were narrowly beaten 13-8.

On a wet and blustery Thursday morning (September 3) the Palace Casino men's singles produced plenty of surprises, with a exodus of several fancied players.

Ken Dunn lost to Peter Boldero 21-9, Steve Ellis lost 16-21 to John Roper, Mark Turner lost to Ian Wilkinson 21-15 and David Baird was beaten 21-11 by Ian Playford. Several local players progressed, including Denis Driver (21-17), John Colcombe (21-4) and Tony Dunton (21-19).

Dunton went on to progress to the quarter-finals with a 21-4 victory over Alfie Chambers of Suffolk.

Meanwhile Colcombe, of Acle, had a 21-15 victory over Andy Wilkinson (Reepham Private).

Local interest subsided when Driver (Great Yarmouth) was beaten 21-17 by Peter Wilkinson (Reepham Private).

England Under-25 international Jamie Chestney continued in his dynamic winning ways with a 21-14 victory.

Three members of the Willgress family progressed to the next round, Chris winning 21-18 and sons Wayne and Jake 21-3 and 21-16 respectively.

David Ramsey found Wayne Willgress at his best and could not contain him, with Wayne winning comfortably 21-6.

Jake Willgress unfortunately could not emulate his brother, losing 21-11 to Matt Flatman.

John Roper (Ipswich) progressed through to the last eight with a win over Carl Hipperson.

The final qualifier was John Hunter (R G Carter) who recorded a 21-17 win over Tim Cox (North Walsham) after being 17-5 down.

The Eastern Daily Press sponsored ladies' triples quarter-finals brought together Geraldine Reeve, Liz Shorter and Mary Baird (mixed) against J Arnott, Ann Chambers and Chris Wadlow (St Laurance).

Geraldine and her partners were always in control, winning 20-3 and progressing into the semi-finals.

Janet Church, Fay Moll and Molly Auld (mixed), playing Kath Woolston, Yvonne Gant and Jane Clarke, took a early lead 12-6 and went to to win 21-17.

Bing Smith, Debbie Nicholson and Jane Watson (Martham) were involved in a close game with J Carter, R Carter and H Farrow (mixed), getting three shots on the last end to win 16-15.

Susan King and her daughters, Alisha Segasby (11) and Harriet Segasby (15) played J Fish, M Hollings and B Segolo (mixed). Although they were behind 9-1 after six ends they dominated the remainder of the match to run out worthy winners 21-12.

The men's triples semi-final sponsored by Peter Jay of the Great Yarmouth Hippodrome Circus brought together a Norwich derby between Clive Derry, Mark Turner and Trevor Jermy of County Arts against Frank Ray, Philip Long and Peter Sabberton of Norfolk Bowling Club.

The game started with the Arts trio taking a 5-0 lead, but the Norfolk three then replied to make the score 5-5.

The Arts boys then raced into a 13-5 lead only for their opponents to score a three and a four on the next two ends to be only 13-12 behind.

But the Arts triple pulled clear again to win 20-14.

The second semi-final was evenly contested up to halfway when the score was 10-7.

The trio of Pat Garrod (Acle), Derek Shorter (North Walsham) and David Baird of Nottingham then drew away for comfortable win against Charles West, Mark Oakley and Jake Willgress of the Norfolk Bowling Club. Final score 20-11.

The final, played in front of a large crowd, was a one-sided game with Garrod, Shorter and Baird winning only four ends against the in-form Arts triple with the final score 23-7. This follows the pairs title Turner and Jermy won last year.

The Ladies Pairs saw Enid Adams and Brenda Whitehead playing Margaret Betts and Chris Wadlow.

This game was closely fought throughout with Whitehead and Adams winning 23-19.

The second semi-final was equally closely contested between Sue Syrett and Val Smith (North Walsham) playing A Chambers and P Wood with the scores level 12-12 at 12 ends and 16-16 at 18 ends, Syrett and Smith eventually winning 19-17.

The Great Yarmouth Independent Newsagents sponsored pairs final was an enthralling affair before a large, captivated audience on the town's seafront. The Adams and Whitehead pair held 14-6 lead at one stage, but at 14 ends the game was much closer at 17-14 to Syrett and Smith.

But Adams and Whitehead then scored six shots over the last three ends for a 21-20 victory and the title.