WESTLECOT’S Josie Lloyd, Doris Woodley, Ellen Bolland and Janet Willis have reached the latter stages of three events – pairs, unbadged pairs and triples - in the national women’s championships to be held at the end of this month.

All three combinations had to dig deep in their inter-zone finals to book their places at either Lawson Park (Bedford) or Nottingham, coming from behind to snatch victory on the last end and even taking an extra end in the unbadged pairs.

Lloyd and Woodley trailed 19-12 at 15 ends but a single then a two tied the match at 20-20 and on the last end they grabbed a single for a last-gasp win.

In the unbadged, Bolland and Willis trailed their City of Birmingham opposition 5-13 after 10 ends.

Still 20-17 down going into the last end, they snatched a three to tie the game at 20-20 and send the match into an extra end which they won.

It is the first time that Willis, a relative newcomer to indoor bowls has reached the latter stages of a national indoor championship.

Bolland, Lloyd and Woodley then teamed up to contest the inter-zone final of the national triples against a trio from Welford-on-Avon (Warks) and once again grabbed a last-gasp victory.

Trailing 16-9 at one stage, they back and a single on the last end gave them a 18-16 victory.

  • North Wilts march on in the defence of the Yetton Trophy, the ladies national inter-club championship.

They produced another fine performance in the fifth round to beat Torquay United 75-65.

Torquay included four junior and senior international players, on the neutral green at Donyatt (Illminster, Somerset).

But North Wilts took the honours on three of the four rinks with Alex Jacobs, Isabel Dawson and Janet Hardie all victorious – the only loser was Carol Grenfell.

North Wilts face Wealdon (Uckfield, East Sussex), who beat Adur, the side North Wilts beat in the quarter-finals last year.

The quarter final will be played at Chawton Park (Alton, Hants) on Thursday, February 12.

RESULTS Rink 1: Alex Jacobs beat Sian Gordon 26 - 8; Rink 2: Isabel Dawson beat A Cross 22 -18; Rink 3: Carol Grenfell lost to Natalie Melmore 11-25; Rink 4: Janet Hardie beat Win Smith 16-14.

Overall score: North Wilts beat Torquay United 75-65.