PURTON staged a brilliant fightback to win the final of the Wiltshire Bowlers Joint Council Mixed Double Rinks.

In an exciting and keenly contested final played at Devizes they edged out Westlecot by one shot.

Purton came from 10 shots down at 10 ends, seven down at 15 and five down at 18 to grab a 45-44 victory.

Both sides started off very evenly matched and there was nothing in it after five ends.

But then on rink one Mark Dyer's Westlecot quartet picked up a seven on the 7th end to head Purton's Chris Cheesley 11-5.

That margin was extended to 14-6 at 10 ends but then Cheesley's rink fought back collecting a five on the 12th end and had cut the deficit to only 18-13 at 15 ends.

From then Cheesley kept it tight and went on to only lose by six shots (18-24) on the 21st end.

The match on rink two was to prove the decisive one in the final analysis.

After five ends it was all square at 5-5 and there was little in it with Mel Biggs just leading Purton's Colin Baker 10-8 at 10 ends.

The Westlecot rink then forged ahead to go 17-10 up at 14 ends but Baker's quartet hit back brilliantly with a dramatic turn around in fortunes.

They picked-up nine shots in the next three ends, including a five on the 15th, to nose ahead by two shots, 19-17 with four ends left.

Biggs took a single on 18 to cut the gap to one shot at 18-19, however, Baker's team then powered ahead again with a five and then a three to move nine shots clear at 27-18.

More importantly the Dyer/Cheesley game had finished so it meant Purton had fought back to lead 45-42 overall with one end to go.

Baker held his nerve with Westlecot needing a big count of four to win overall. Purton held fast and with Westlecot only managing to pick up two of the three shots to force an extra end, they had claimed a nail-biting 45-44 success.

It was a very exciting finish to this competition in it's first year.

Wiltshire Women's Bowling Association president Ann Hindley (Wilton), on behalf of the sponsors, Lodge Brothers presented the Mike Bartlett Memorial Trophy and winners cheque for £100 to Purton, £50 to runners-up Westlecot and £25 each to Chippenham Town and Wilton the losing semi finalists.

The Mike Bartlett Memorial Trophy (Purton) was donated in 2002 and previously used for the WBJC Mixed League.

But this is the first year the Trophy has gone home to Purton and daughters of the late Mike Bartlett, Alison and Sue were at the match and presentation to mark the occasion.

The knockout competition this year saw 34 clubs from all over Wiltshire compete for the Mike Bartlett Memorial Trophy.

The competition was played throughout the season and began in May with one rink playing home and one away for each match throughout.

The final last Saturday was played in glorious sunshine at Devizes Bowls Club, who are celebrating their 90th Anniversary this year.

RESULTS (Purton names first) Rink 1: Brenda Cars, Maureen March, Eric Collier and Chris Cheesley lost to Mary Dyer, Josie Lloyd, Paul Sloman and Mark Dyer 18-24.

Rink 2: Jean Bird, Carol and Max Holland, and Colin Baker beat Sylvia Matthews, Geraldine Reade, Dave Matthews and Mel Biggs 27-20.

Score: Purton beat Westlecot 45-44.