CHAWTON Park Indoor Bowling Club has issued an open invitation to anyone interested in finding out more about junior bowling to attend a junior singles tournament this weekend.

To take place at the club premises on Chawton Park Road, Alton, tomorrow (Sunday, March 12), and run by the coaching team, the first match starts at 9am with the presentation scheduled for 5pm.

Open to players aged from seven to 18, the tournament has attracted 35 junior entrants from across Hampshire. They represent Loddon Vale, Banister Park, Palmerston, Victory, and Chawton Park indoor bowls clubs.

Five of the competitors are from Chawton Park Indoor Bowling Club. Following their success at the recent Hampshire junior singles event, two of them, Samuel Fyfield, 10, and Reece Graham, 11, will compete at the English Bowls Youth Development Scheme’s South of England regional finals at Horsham Bowling Club in April.

They will be representing Hampshire and competing against other young bowlers from Surrey, Kent and Sussex.

For Sunday’s tournament at Chawton Park, the players will be competing against each other on a round-robin basis in three separate groups. The under-12 group has 22 entrants, the under 15 competition has attracted six players, and seven have signed up for the under-18 tournament.

Alton mayor Matthew Bayliss will present certificates to all the competitors and the Hampshire open singles and Southern region English Bowls Youth Development Scheme organiser Maxeen Fletcher will present the winners’ trophies.

Refreshments will be available throughout the day.

Club spokesman Sheila Goodwin said: “Do come along and witness the enthusiasm and the standard of bowls from these juniors that will quite surprise you.”