IF at first you don't succeed - keep on throwing.

A Clitheroe-based darts team has just recorded a bullseye for persistence - and they ain't finished yet.

The team, currently in Division Three of the GMC Lancashire Superleague, have lost every single game since formation over a season and a half ago. Until now.

After heaps of disappointment and despair, Clitheroe Ladies, based at Low Moor Club, have finally broken their duck. It just goes to show that a policy of not giving up does pay dividends in the end," says captain Judith Cunliffe.

"Although often close to victory we'd never quite managed it until out of the blue we go and win two on the bounce. The feeling was tremendous."

The ladies are now looking to make it a hat trick at Lancaster on Sunday, but in the meantime Judith, who has been arrow slinging for the last two decades, reckons there's double cause for celebration.

"As things stand we've won more matches than the Clitheroe men's team.

"When we first got together they had been a well-established team for a couple of seasons, but with only one win this year they're trailing behind us. It's a great feeling."

Converted for the new archive on 14 July 2000. Some images and formatting may have been lost in the conversion.