DROITWICH’s Adie Burbidge won the unified singles title in the Diamond Jubilee Weston-super-Mare Ladies’ Open Bowls Tournament at Clarence Park.

Burbidge won all three group matches to get through to the final, in which his opponent was Clevedon’s former England international Margaret Dyer.

She had no answer to some precision bowling from the Worcestershire resident, who won both sets comfortably to take the title.

Burbidge, six-times winner of the singles in the equivalent men’s event, had been expecting to play only in the unified singles, which is for both men and women.

But he was given a chance to warm-up when his friend Malcolm Dare had to withdraw from the tournament and asked Burbidge to take his place in the mixed pairs with local bowler Audrey Powell.

“It was just as well he did,” said Burbidge, “because I have been playing mainly golf recently and was very rusty in the first couple of mixed pairs matches.

“That warmed me up nicely for the unified singles.”