Blackhall Bowls Club celebrating best season in years as A and B team crowned champions in Hartlepool and District league

The club are celebrating their most successful season for around 30 years.

Blackhall’s A team have been crowned champions of the 1st Division of the Hartlepool and District Bowls League while the B team are champions of the league’s 2nd Division.

The club’s Blackhall Bandits, who play on four nights of the week, are also celebrating after winning the Ces Foster Memorial Trophy by defeating the Hartlepool Old Boys at Eldon Grove Bowling Club.

It has also been a successful season for Blackhall Vets who play on a Wednesday afternoon.

A Vets A team team are Champions of the East Coast Veterans League, and the Vets won the Blackhall Memorial Trophy with a team comprising Bob Alder, John Davies, Tommy Nattrass, and Eddie Spalding.

The Durham County Triples title was won by Blackhall players Paul Hartley, Gary Vaughan, and George Thompson.

It saw them progress to the National Finals at Leamington where they were sadly beaten but nevertheless marked a great achievement for the club.

Vets player Stan Gray said of this season’s success: “It’s very unusual. The last time the A team were league champions was in 1992 and 1995.

"It’s a great achievement they have done, especially winning the league champions for the A and B teams because they play in the Hartlepool and District league and it’s a prestigious award to win.”

The club, who play at Welfare Park in Blackhall Colliery, also notched up more titles this summer with Paul Hartley and Gary Vaughan winning the Peterlee Open Pairs.

Keith Bell and Derek Bell also won the Peterlee Vets Pairs Bowls Competition. Keith is The Club Champion going forward to next years Champion of Champions.

Bob Alder, Dougie Stephenson, and John Davies won the Vets Triple Competition.

Bob and Dougie also won the Vets Pairs Competition and Bob Alder reached the final of the Vets Singles competition but ended up being

runner up.

The Bandits also reached the final of the Champions of the Friday Three Two One Competition but were beaten by Hartlepool Old Boys at Eldon Grove Bowling Club.