Sixteen members from Oakley have just returned from a very enjoyable week playing at the Dorset Golf and Bowls resort as part of Bowls Hampshire's ninth mini-tour to the Dorset.

So popular has this tour become that, this year, a record 61 people from all over the County took part and as usual, the accommodation, food and hospitality was first class.

It proved a successful event for Oakley with the final being contested between an Oakley rink of Mary and Terry Varndell and Barbara and Bob Goodyear and a rink containing Linda and Martin Smith.

It was Bob's rink that came out on top but for the Smiths runners-up was special, having on three previous visits won the Mars Bars for the team that most needed to improve.

Oakley was also represented in the third-fourth place play-off where Kevin and Janie Vickers, both of whom have only just begun playing indoors, were playing with Stephen and Julie Greenwood from Portsmouth.

The Presentation evening saw prizes being awarded to the tournament winners and to those who had participated in the putting and wedge bowling competitions which raised £145 for Kay, the organiser's charity, the Hampshire and Isle of Wight Air Ambulance.

The evening concluded with County secretary Hazel Marke making a presentation to Kay for organising the event and then in a surprise move, she announced that her predecessor, Spencer, had, for his services to Bowls Hampshire, been made its first Life Vice President and presented him with a plaque to commemorate the achievement.