WILTSHIRE bowlers missed out on adding another national title to the family pairs crown they had earlier won at the 2016 national championships and competitions staged at Bowls England Headquarters at Victoria Park, Royal Leamington Spa.

However, Royal Wootton Bassett players made a fine bid on the final three days of the month-long championships last weekend to add to the previous success of club colleague Gary Morphet and his son Craig.

The Smiths, Neil and his two daughters Lucy and Katy, together with Mel Biggs, were edged out in the mixed fours semi-finals despite leading until the final end as they went down 17-16 to Rebecca Wigfield and Katie Smith, Darren Childs and Jamie Walker (Northamptonshire).

In the last 16, the Bassett quartet recorded a comfortable 20-11 victory over Broadway (Worcestershire) and followed it up with a 23-16 win against Lindfield (Haywards Heath, mid-Sussex).

In the semi-finals, the Smiths and Biggs made an electrifying start to win five of the first seven ends and take a 10-3 lead and despite a Northants comeback, they still led 15-10 after 15 ends.

However, with two ends to go, the Bassett foursome only held a three-shot advantage at 16-13 and they could not hold on as their opponents cut the gap to 16-15 on the 20th end before another two on the last end helped them claim a 17-16 win.

Neil Smith said: “It was obviously disappointing to lose on the last end but we all played well in horrendous conditions.”

Bassett’s David Godwin also made a bold bid for glory in the men’s championship.

Goodwin sailed through his opening three singles games as he easily overcame Jake Willgress (Norfolk BC, Norwich) 21-9 and followed it up with a 21-10 success over Keith Holloway (Banbury Borough, Oxon) before booking his quarter-final place with a 21-16 victory over Alan Hawke (St Austell).

In the last eight, Godwin battled bravely but was just edged out on the last end 21-20 by Simon Green (Sandwich, Kent).