COMPETITORS tested their wits on the Scrabble board in an annual prize competition at the weekend.

The Durham Grand Weekend has quickly become one of the leading events for members of the Association of British Scrabble Players.

Competitors even flew from the US and Nigeria to take part on the many Scrabble boards at Trevelyan College.

The event was staged by Laura Finley, widow of its founder, Peter Finley, a Durham-born copy-writer who lived in Sunderland until he died after a fall while walking in the Cumbrian fells last year.

Mrs Finley has kept the events running in her late husband's memory.

Lewis Mackay, 19, a rising talent in the Scrabble world, from Sheffield, won the £400 top prize.

Mikki Nicholson, from Carlisle, was runner-up, followed by US entrant Rahn McKeown.

The play of the weekend was performed by North-East exile Neil Green, now living in Wales.

He came from 167 points behind to win a game using the last seven letters on his rack to spell fordable, initially not even certain if it was an acknowledged word.

Once confirmed, it gave him a two-point win.