Suffolk raider Royal beats Willgress to men’s singles crown at Great Yarmouth

Mark Royal claimed the men's singles crown on a day when two titles were decided at the Great Yarmouth Bowls Festival.

Royal, from the Rookery Club in Stowmarket, beat Norfolk Bowls Club's Wayne Willgress 21-9 in the final of the Great Yarmouth Borough Council-sponsored event, played in very wet conditions.

The Eastern-Daily Press-sponsored ladies triples was also decided yesterday, with A Barker, C Turner and S Tyers beating S Tolliday, G Burke and M Hunt 19-7 after just 16 ends.

The men's final lasted only 13 ends with Royal always having the upper hand, leading 7-4 after five ends. With the help of a count of four shots on the eighth Willgress reduced the deficit to 8-11 down, but Royal only his opponent to score one more shot.

In the semi-finals, Royal beat Diddy Smith from Freethorpe BC 21-16 while Willgress beat Andy Hailes from the Metal Box BC in Wisbech by the same scoreline.