Anglers World Holidays' figurehead Stan Haigh was delighted at his squad's crushing victory in a superb third round of the cut-throat Yorkshire Winter League on the Aire and Calder Canal between Pollington and Beevers Bridge.

"We have drafted in a number of new signings this winter and they have all performed brilliantly so far," he said.

"The team all adopted a similar approach, which was to ball it in at around 11 metres and then loose-feed hemp over the top. Hook-baits were squatt, pinkie or big maggot.

"We did draw the downstream end-peg which gave us an advantage in some sections but in others, such as the prolific boats section at Pollington, it put us at completely the wrong end."

Section wins for Stan himself, Tom Gausden and new-boys Steve Williamson and Roger Ellis backed by section seconds for Nick Sutton and Tony Stevenson saw the Anglers World Holidays squad home with plenty to spare and put them two points clear of nearest rivals Hirst Tackle 'A' with three contests to come on the Yorkshire Ouse

The individual contest saw an amazing battle unfold on the wides below Pollington lock where a huge shoal of roach has taken up winter residence.

Kev Hartley (Waterline Wibsey) led with a superb 20lb net on caster at six metres to head a string of double-figure catches from peg 412 opposite the boats at Pollington.

Others: Kelvin Weatherall (Selby) 19-1-0; Tony Stevenson (Anglers World Holidays) 14-11-0; Tony Hewson (Leeds Angling Centre) 11-5-0; Tim Foster (Hirst Tackle) 10-10-0; Craig Turbitt (Waterline Wibsey) 10-9-8.

Teams: Anglers World Holidays 75; Waterline Wibsey 70; Hirst Tackle A and Selby both 69.

League: Anglers World Holidays 6; Hirst Tackle A 8; Leeds Angling Centre 9; Waterline Wibsey 10.

Bernard Guy (East End Park) was an easy winner of the Carpvale Winter League on Sunday with a 47lb 2oz net from peg 8 on Cyprio.

Alternating pole and feeder with cat meat he tempted carp to 8lb.

Johnny Haw (Acomb Tackle) took second from peg 13 where he used feeder and corn to good effect for a 27lb 2oz bag

Others: Brian Husthwaite 26-8-0; Graham Broadley 26-0-0; Steve Sharples 23-8-0; Alan Humphries 20-8-0.

The popular Oaks Lakes Whizzo complex at Raskelf, North Yorkshire is to run a series of Saturday opens on the prolific, pastie-packed Cedar Lakes. Draw will be 9am on the bank-side with pools £16 all inclusive. Further details from Mick Herrington on 0113 278 2168.

Anglers mourn death of Stan

YORK'S angling community has been mourning the death of former England international Stan Burdett.

Mr Burdett recently died aged 76 after serving more than 50 years on the York and District Amalgamation of Angling committee.

Having joined the committee in 1953, he later became finance member and president and was also a delegate to the Ouse Championship from 1959 to 1983.

He is one of the best anglers York has ever produced and finished second at the All England Champion-ships on the River Severn in the 1980s - a performance that only George Laybourne has bettered from the Minster city.

Mr Burdett went on to fish for England in Italy and was a prolific winner locally.

Walt Brown, a fellow committee member for 50 years and Mr Burdett's best man at his wedding to Joyce, said: "Stan was a very good angler and won all the major trophies including the Ouse Championship, and the Hospital Cup. I think he also won four big Open matches on the trot once.

"He took to the pole later in life when we always thought he would be a float angler. He was also a big river man in his time but he liked the new commercial lakes and loved going to Laybourne Lakes in the last couple of years. He always said that it would become an excellent venue.

"We were good mates and he will be missed."

Updated: 10:15 Wednesday, November 03, 2004