ILMINSTER Bowling Club has celebrated winning the Bowls England Club of the Year 2018 Award.

Saturday saw Ilminster travel up to Coventry for the ceremony, where the club collected the award from Bowls England president Bill Smith.

The club was supported by 20 current members, as well as past members who celebrated alongside them.

Ilminster received a Bowls Club of the Year flag, pendant, lapel badge for each member, £250 and four sets of Drakes Pride bowls.

The club will now welcome Bowls England team to Ilminster in June for a celebration match.

Ilminster BC will be celebrating as a club this Saturday (March 2, from 7.30pm), with all members – past and present – welcome to celebrate this achievement.

***

YOUNG bowlers from Ilminster BC represented the club at the recent Somerset Bowls School of Excellence held at Taunton Deane.

Oli Collins won the junior event for a record fourth year running, with Jacob Crouch coming third and Edward Bidgood fourth in what was a highly competitive event.

Mark Denslow, who runs Ilminster’s coaching section, said: "I was very proud of the way all our young bowlers represented the club, not only with the level of skill displayed but with the etiquette of the game."

Collins is also representing Ilminster as part of Somerset’s Under-18 double rink triples team.

Somerset topped their group table with fine wins over Dorset, Devon and Wiltshire, and now go forward to the semi-finals at Nottingham next month.