WILTSHIRE have won an event at the 2015 Bowls England national championships in Royal Leamington Spa.

Alex Jacobs (Box) retained her Over 55s singles crown on Sunday afternoon, beating Bolton’s Eleanor Benvie 21-15 in the final to secure the ladies senior singles crown that she won last August.

In the final against Benvie, Jacobs, 59, was always ahead racing into an 8-0 lead at five ends.

She was hauled back to 10-9 at 12 ends, but pulled away again to 19-12 at 18 and finally won 21-15 to claim the title.

Jacobs opened up the defence of her title with a 21-13 win over Pat Thornton (Dukeries, Rainworth, Notts) and followed that by defeating Derbyshire’s Elaine Haddon-Holmes (Silver Band, Long Eaton) 21-14.

She then beat Berkshire’s Pat Fowkes (Caversham) in the quarter-finals 21-14 before defeating Hampshire’s Pamela Lambshead (Cowplain, Havant) 21-14 victory on the 20th end in the semi-final.

Elsewhere at Leamington, Stratton Churchway triples and pairs teams made swift exits as did Box and Wilton in their events, while Jean Collier fared no better in the two wood singles.

However, her Box club colleague Sue Cook lost on the 21st, and last, end 13-12 to Poole Park’s Julie Leake.

This weekend sees almost the conclusion of the ladies events at Leamington with only the ladies pairs and junior pairs (U25s) featuring Lucy and Katy Smith from Wootton Bassett taking place with the Amy Rose Bowl junior ladies team event being scheduled for the final weekend of the championships.

Sisters Lucy and Katy reached the second and third round respectively in the junior (U25) singles a fortnight ago and now team-up together in the junior (U25) pairs. They face Sussex duo Emma Cooper and Lorraine Kuhler in round one today at 1pm.

The spotlight at Leamington now turns to the men’s National championship.

The first couple of events feature players from Westlecot and Wootton Bassett in the senior pairs and junior (U25) singles.

First up are Dave Snell (Wootton Bassett) and Mel Biggs (Westlecot) in the senior pairs.

They face a first round (last 32) tie against Derbyshire’s Brian Ball and John Bowley (Stute, Ilkeston).

Meanwhile Wootton Bassett’s Kyle Anderson and Westlecot’s Craig Hatherall compete in the junior (U25s) singles.

Anderson has been drawn against Oxfordshire’s Sam Watts (Watlington), while Hatherall faces Chris Ryan (West Ealing).

Next week sees the two quartets from Wootton Bassett skipped by Stephen Snell and Gary Morphet start their quest for glory in the fours championship, while Russell Francis starts out in the champion of champions competition.

Morphet returns in the triples at Leamington skipping a Bassett trio with the reigning county triples champions Holt also competing.

Dave Snell will be looking to emulate Jacobs when he sets out next Saturday in the defence of his national senior singles title.

The Wootton Bassett stalwart faces Northumberland’s George Batey in the first round of the O55s singles.