FORMER world champion Billy Jackson was the winner when New Earswick Indoor Bowls Club hosted an international class World Bowls Tour event.

Jackson, from Lincoln IBC, beat Chris Gale, of Blackpool Newton Hall, in the final at the end of a high-quality competition.

The event attracted 24 players from England, Scotland and Holland, including some of the best bowlers from the Professional Bowls Association such as England internationals David Bolt (Stanley), Brett Arkley (Stanley), Gale and Jackson.

Local players involved included Andrew Fothergill and Kevin Liddell, both from New Earswick.

The players were split into six groups with the winners of each group and the two best runners-up progressing to the quarter-finals.

The international players topped their groups, while Craig Newton, from Featherstone, kept the Yorkshire interest going by winning his pool. Liddell lost his last end to deny himself a spot in the last eight.

Newton, however, lost to Martin Gale, Chris’ dad, 2-1 on a tie-break in their quarter-final.

Ex-junior international Chris Gale beat current international David Bolt 2-0 in sets, while Jackson saw off Brett Arkley 1½-½ in another tight struggle, and Phil Smithson edged William Jackson in another tie-break.

The two semi-finals were a lot closer than the 2-0 scorelines suggest with Jackson beating Smithson, while Chris Gale defeated his dad.

The final provided a marvellous exhibition of bowling with both players constantly peppering the jack.

Jackson edged the first set 5-4 and Gale 5-3 in the second which went down to a matter of inches on the last bowl.

Jackson won the first end of the tie-break with all eight bowls within six inches of the jack. The first four bowls of the second end all touched the jack, with Jackson benefiting from good fortune to win it.

Jackson now goes forward to the Tour card finals in Blackpool in May where victors gain automatic entry into the World Bowls Tour televised events.