WARRINGTON based bowler Carl Armitage won this year's Waterloo Bowls Championship after a close fought final.

Armitage defeated Tim Halliwell from Wrexham 21-19 in the final. At one stage he was winning 16-6 but Halliwell fought back to 19-19 before finally succumbing.

St Annes based bowler Steve Ellis was defeated 21-12 by Tim Halliwell in the quarter-final.

Results were: Quarter-finals: Carl Armitage (Warrington) 21, Andrew White (Worsley) 18; Ken Strutt (Diggle) 21 Roy Nocholson (Holmfield) 18; Matthew Gilmore (Wallesy 21, Glynn Cookson (Winsford) 15; Tim Halliwell (Wrexham) 21, Steve Ellis (St Annes) 12.

Semi-finals: Armitage 21, Nicholson 12; Halliwell 21, Gilmore 17. Final: Armitage 21 Halliwell 17.