PURTON trio of Chris Mitchell, Julie Jones and Alison Fail (skip) have reached the final of the ladies national triples.

They booked their place in the triples final against Dukeries (Notts) as they beat Cumbria representatives Wigton, skipped by Carol Baxter 17-15 this morning in the semi-finals, at the Bowls England national championships being held at Victoria Park, Royal Leamington Spa.

Purton made a fine start against Wigton and led 6-1 at five ends but had fallen behind at nine ends (halfway) and trailed the Cumbrian trio 10-6.

Back came the Purton girls to draw level at 12-12 at 13 ends and move 15-13 up at 15 ends. But then were pegged back immediately to 15-all with only two ends remaining.

However, Fail’s trio grabbed a pair of singles on the last two ends to snatch a 17-15 success and a place in the triples final this afternoon.

Purton will face Terrie Wombell, Liz Munro and Janet Eames from the Dukeries BC (Rainworth, Notts) who picked up a two and then a three on the last two ends to claim a last-gasp 21-20 semi-final win over Heskeath Park, Kent on the last end.

Purton booked their place in the last four with a superb 18-11 victory in the quarter-finals yesterday afternoon over Cleethorpes (Lincolnshire) team of Chris Gowshall, Tracy Dent and regular England international Amy Gowshall.

Earlier in the day they had beaten Berkshire’s Sunningdale comprehensively 24-9 in the last 16.

Purton had opened their triples quest for glory on Monday with a first round victory over Barradon (Northumberland) 24-12 and followed it up with an equally impressive second round win 21-13 against Polegrove (Sussex).