A BOWLS club has had an outstanding year after coming top of a league it joined for the first time in 2015.

Leyburn Bowls Club was formed almost 100 years ago and has played in a Wednesday evening JSW League for many years – and while it has finished second on a number of occasions it has never claimed the top spot.

However, in its first season of the Bateson Bowls League the club has blown the competition out of the water by winning 15 matches out of 18, five and a half points ahead of last year’s champions Bishop Monkton.

Mervyn Buckley from the club said: “This first Bateson League championship was a tremendous achievement for everyone who played in the team during the season and especially for the captain, Dick Milestone.

“On Friday, September 4, Leyburn, as league winners, played a challenge match at Sowerby Flatts Green against a team comprising the rest of the League, following which Dick and the rest of the Leyburn team were presented with the Bateson League Shield.

“It was a wonderful climax to Leyburn's 2015 season although the club still have their finals weekend to play on Saturday, September 12 and Sunday, September 13 when five singles trophies will be played for, before the green closes for the season with another competition on Sunday, September 20.”

During the winter months the club will hold a number of events to raise money for club funds, the first of being a quiz night at the Dalesman's Club in Leyburn on Thursday, October 15.