Almost a century after her father-in-law achieved sporting immortality by helping West Auckland retain football's first World Cup, Doris Rewcastle - getting on, but not letting on - has won national acclaim, too.

In London last week, the Countess of Wessex presented Doris with a coveted Torch Trophy award for services to sport - only the second woman bowls player in 44 years to receive the honour.

A lovely, lively, octogenarian, she wears the accolade as lightly as a ladies' captain might wear a straw hat.

The citation talked of her "home-made goodies" and of one of the great characters of the sport. Bowled over? Doris almost didn't even open the letter.

"I presumed it was someone wanting money as usual, thought 'Tittle that' and got on with my dinner. It was only after the one o'clock news that I thought I'd better open it. I've never been so surprised in my life."

She talks of double rinks and triple ends. "It'll all be cat-Latin to you," she says, classically, and talks instead of a lifetime's community involvement in Co Durham.

She lives in Bishop Auckland, is almost certainly nearer 90 than 80 - "I'm not telling you, it'll be on the bush telegraph tomorrow morning" - has been Durham County competitions secretary since 1979 and has no plans to stand down.

"You see people pack up when they're 60 and suddenly they're old and creaking. I've never really thought about retiring, I'd be climbing the walls if I did."

Joe Rewcastle, her father-in-law, scored in West Auckland's 6-1 thrashing of Juventus - four up in 15 minutes - in the 1911 "World Cup" final. Rob, her husband, also played for West - probably the reason she took up bowls in 1959, when she joined the Bishop Auckland "town" club.

"I'd been bringing up a family before that, and there'd been a war on with other things to do, but Rob was out so much playing football that I thought I should do something, too."

Within seven years she was in the county "A" team, remained in it for 35 years, travelled almost everywhere by bus and with a heavy bag of woods in her hand.

"I remember my first County singles game was at East Boldon, where I'd never even been before. When I finally caught the right bus from Sunderland, I was drawn against their best player and beat her.

"One of their officials said I'd no business beating their top player. I asked her if she thought I'd trailed around all day just to lose the match."

She's played bowls at Wimbledon ("rotten greens") and many times at Leamington, reckoned the Wembley of that genre. She's won countless top competitions, been secretary of the Bishop Auckland club for 45 years, president for 30, secretary of the Central Ladies League for 27.

"It keeps me out of mischief," she says, "not much doubt about that."

On top of all that, she was also a competitive dancer - "It was the dancers who talked me into bowling, I foolishly agreed" - an outside caterer, secretary of the Townswomen's Guild, a livewire in the Women's Electrical Association and still a baker who also rises to the occasion. To date she's made 17 Christmas cakes.

Out the back - "Less of your yard, I call it the patio" - there's also a vast and verdant collection of potted greenery, begun from a few margarine tubs. Less of your patio, her children call it the jungle. "Cheeky fond," says Doris.

Last Thursday's ceremony was at the Army and Navy Club in Pall Mall - "It was really posh, but I keep calling it the Army and Navy Stores" - also attended by the likes of Jimmy Hill and Jimmy Young. The Countess, says Doris, was absolutely charming.

Rub of the green, she enjoys good health - "I don't bother being poorly, I just get on with it" - but packed up outdoor bowls in 2002 and the indoor game last year. "I wanted to give the newer players a chance," says Doris, "though there's not much sign of youngsters coming through.

"It's still a lot of work and I'm never quiet, but meeting the Countess was a really happy occasion. I like to think that old Joe would have been proud of me."

Had the Echo's own Local Heroes awards offered a prize for best turned out, and not just for extraordinary achievement, our old friend Sharon Gayter might have won that one, too.

Perhaps it was that few previously had seen her in anything other than a tracksuit - "I just don't wear clothes," she said by way of innocent explanation - that the swallow- tailed trouser suit looked so fetching.

The Fred Astaire look came from a little shop in Yarm - "something called their Petite range," said Sharon - the accompanying cardigan borrowed from Paralympian and fellow new Marske Harrier Tanni Grey-Thompson.

"I'm always cold but I just don't wear cardigans," said Sharon, overall winner and holder since September of the women's world record for running from Lands End to John o' Groats.

All 880 in the marquee stood to acknowledge her. The music machine played Keep on Running, as well it might have done. Since the big one, she's entered three marathons and won two of them. The next epic is across the Sahara.

"The reception really gave me butterflies, just made the hairs on my neck stand on end," said the 42-year-old Guisborough lass. "It really was one of the best evenings of my life."

While others celebrated, however, she was gone. Perhaps the most self-effacing of all athletics world record holders feared that, like some super-charged Cinderella, high fashion might turn into well-worn tracksuit. Perhaps Dame Tanni simply wanted back her cardigan.

Sharon's overall accolade apart, the night's biggest cheer was for Terry Farley, Elderly Secretary of the Bishop Auckland Referees' Society and winner of the Over 18s Unsung Hero category.

That he'd brought along 64 friends and family may have had something to do with it. "I know a few folk," said Terry, who's 73 and still works ceaselessly for refereeing.

Among the few was his former Football League colleague George Tyson, from Sunderland, who last appeared in the column while recovering from a serious asbestos-related illness following some DIY in his attic.

Five years later, he's still having heart problems but is back on the golf course. "Sadly," said George, "my days of running round a football field for 90 minutes appear to be over."

Jeff Winter was there, too, recalling that he is the only referee to have sent off Middlesbrough manager Gareth Southgate - two yellow cards against Coventry City, both for fouls against Emile Heskey. Mr Heskey, it could be said, seems to go to ground quite easily. A little posthumously, Jeff was publicly apologetic. "I got it wrong," he said.

Knocking copy: Harry Dinsdale in Darlington points out a problem with the picture in Friday's column of new World Skilful Dominoes champion Lol Cullinan, from Sunniside, near Tow Law. Thirteen dominoes had been played - and Lol was still holding one. "Clearly," says Harry, "the champion lost."

Richmond Cricket Club captain Andy Mollitt, now playing football for Saunders FC in the Sri Lankan Premier League, has had his first ever booking. The opposing centre forward, says Andy, was like clarts (or something) off a stick - "I tried to stop him Wensleydale League style," he admits.

Now title-chasing, Saunders will have to do without their star centre half for three weeks at Christmas - he's off to watch our brave boys win the Ashes.

AND FINALLY...

the Englishman who in the year 2000 became the oldest player to appear in the Champions League (Backtrack, December 1) was 39-year-old John Lukic.

Today, back to West Auckland's World Cup - and readers are invited to recall the name of the trophy.

We're up for it again on Friday.