COMPETITION in the Knutsford Bowling Club Spring Open Pairs competition has been described as intense.

The event, which attracts bowlers from all over the north west and Wales has become a major attraction in the bowling calendar, featured 32 pairs starting out with a show of determination and skill to get to the next round.

Throughout the day the crowds were treated to some nail-biting finishes along with some displays of brilliance.

By the late afternoon only four pairs were left and they produced some of the most exciting moments of the day.

Nigel Hughes and Paul Roberts (Wirral/Wales) and Nathan Brown/Ryan Sandham (Wilmslow) reached the final to play for the first prize.

Both pairs were bowling the jack to a distance of over 60 yards and then landing their own bowls within inches of it.

Throughout the early stages of the match Hughes and Roberts always managed to pull off that one shot which earned them a point, and enabled them to retain control of the jack.

Soon they had built up a commanding lead and it looked like the writing was on the wall for Brown/Sandham, but they fought back and started to chip away at the lead.

However, Hughes/Roberts dug in and pulled off some spectacular shots to retain control of the game and eventually they ran out winning 21-11.

The score did not fully reflect how tight the game was, or how ends were won on the smallest of margins.