Thornaby Ladies reached two finals at the English Women's Indoor Bowling Association Championships at Nottingham and returned to Teesside with the Fours Trophy.

Although Thornaby lost out 57-29 at the final hurdle to Norfolk outfit North Walsham in the Double Rinks event their quartet of Maisie Conway, Betty Nicholson, Judy Frosdick and Beryl Anderson carried everything before them.

They defeated Mansfield (London) 30-8 and Cumbria 24-13 before a 25-17 victory over Plymouth Civil Service took them through to the final, where they met the Desborough Maidenhead four, led by the formidable Mary Price.

Thornaby appeared to be cruising at 14-7, but then dropped a five-count at the 15th end and, with two ends to play, were trailing 15-17.

But then came the Teessiders' moment of glory. A splendid four edged them in front and then on the final dramatic end, heroics by Beryl Anderson, holding her nerve when all seemed lost, gave Thornaby a 20-17 victory and the club's first success in this event since 1990.

There was further success for the North when York won the Inter-Counties team event for the Yetton Trophy a third time, having previously triumphed in 1988 and 2000.

After defeating Desborough Maidenhead 96-64 in the semi-final they went on to beat Egham (Surrey) 80-65, winning on three of the four rinks.

There was disappointment, however, for Darlington in the Mens Over-60 Pairs at Church Gresley, Derbyshire, when, after a first round walk-over, Eric Ramsdale and Ken Lamb were beaten 25-18 in the second round by Margate, who went on to the semi-finals where they lost to the eventual winners, Warner Bembridge.

Newcastle Eldon Square's Colin Davidson and Alan Phillips beat King George Field 20-13 in the opening round before a 19-17 success over Perdiswell put them into the quarter final, where they went down 23-16 to beaten semi-finalists Tye Green.

In the Over-50 Triples Championship Stanley's Colin Chapman, Lockie Todd and Eddie Henry beat Great Aycliffe's Jack Potter, Derke Dowson and David Barron 20-10 in the first round, only to be edged out 19-18 by Westlecot at the next hurdle.

* The Potters Leisure Centre in Norfolk, home of the World Indoor Singles event, hosted the English Bowling Federation National Open Mixed Fours competition, with a starting line up of 92 rinks.

And Cleveland County took the title when the Thornaby BC foursome of Inga and John Gillespie and Violet and Ralph Mitchison battled their way through to victory.

Cleveland also had seven players reaching the quarter-final stage - Roy Witham, Mavis and John Williams, Sheila and Sid Mormon and Margaret and Lance Simpson.

* A Durham Select side visited the Hartlepool Club for an eight-rink challenge match, won by the County 151-22.

Scores (Durham first): R Yews 10, W Johnson 19; M Baines 14, R Wrigglesworth 20; B Naughton 22, F Stavers 10; A Cooper 13, B Russell 23; W Kirk 22, G Kyle 13; J Thompson 20, I Hewetson 16; B Robinson 20, L Coverdale 14; R Wilby 30, W Instone 7.

* In the British isles Championships at Swansea, defending champions England beat scotland 105-103, despite winning on only two of the six rinks. Gary R Smith, of Sunderland, skipped his men to a match-winning 28-14 success.