LYME Regis progressed from the Jane Culpin Trophy preliminary round after beating Bridport 42-38.

The competition, started by June Culpin who was a member of Gillingham Bowls Club, always sees the semi-final played at Gillingham with the culmination on Dorset finals weekend.

It is a Dorset competition in ladies double-rink fours and 21 ends with most overall shots winning through.

Lyme’s Helen Dowling, Lesley Broom, Mary Haseman and Karen Hofen were always ahead, consistently picking up shots.

At the 14th end they led 16-7 with Bridport then picking up the pace and only trailing 18-15. However, Lyme picked up one shot on the 21st end to win 19-15.

Lyme’s second rink of Pam Weech, Sue Rowe, Chris Pomeroy and Ann Allman were 13-3 up on the ninth end but then Bridport pulled back to 14-14 at 15 ends.

After 20 ends, Lyme trailed 23-22 but their one point on the last end resulted in a draw.

Overall, Lyme Regis won by four shots next play the winners of Portland BO versus Wellworthy in a competition they last won back in 2021.

In the Men’s Championship, Lyme Regis lost 64-55 to Sherborne.

Rom Hunt, Alan Nabarro, Steve Pomeroy and Paul Pomeroy were the sole victors, winning 23-18.

Trevor Allman, Brian Parsons, Tim Munro and Allan Weech plus Mick Heneghan, Gerry Mangeolles, Paul Moffitt and Barry Rattenbury lost 24-15 and 22-17 respectively.

Dorchester B also clinched victory over Lyme Regis, winning 65-46 in Men’s Division Two.

Mike Applegate, David Flett, Roger Legg and John Maslen were 18-12 losers, while John Berry, John Enticott, Steve White and John Sherring narrowly lost 20-19.

John Owen, Crispin Boyle, Jim Moseley and Keith Barnes suffered a 27-15 reverse.

In Percy Baker action, Lyme beat Dorchester 36-25 overall.

Rom Hunt, Brian Parsons and Gerry Mangeolles won 16-13, reinforced by Trevor Allman, Tim Munro and Allan Weech’s 20-12 triumph.

Lyme also beat Sherborne 38-29, with one big win proving enough for victory.

That honour fell to 20-9 winners Mick Heneghan, John Sherring and Barry Rattenbury as Philip Stephens, Alan Nabarro and Steve Pomeroy lost 20-18.

Bridport denied Lyme a hat-trick of Percy Baker wins, emerging 37-36 victors.

Mike Applegate, John Murphy and John Berry lost 20-12 but Steve White, John Enticott and Roger Gale recorded a 24-17 win.

In friendly action, Lyme Regis won 85-58 in a five-rink epic at Winchester, capping a fine day out involving a coach trip and food.

Chris Pomeroy, captain Trevor Allman, John Sherring and Barry Rattenbury won 19-11, while Ann Allman, Chris Haseman, Paul Stoke-Faires and Jim Moseley triumphed 18-12.

The biggest win went to Avril Sherring, Judith Moffitt, Nicky Driscoll and Paul Pomeroy who notched a 19-5 scoreline, while Jasmine Bishop, Brian Parsons, Mary Haseman and Paul Moffitt won 18-12.

An 18-11 loss for Jan Parsons, Naomi Benson, Pauline Knight and Steve Pomeroy meant Lyme could not make it a clean sweep of successes.