WALTON bowlers were hit by a Gale force when they staged their club finals at the Columbine Centre.

It came in the form of Gillie Gale, who reached an incredible five finals - and won three of them.

She completed her hat-trick in the ladies' singles, ladies' pairs and mixed triples, where she was joined by husband Mike.

In the ladies' singles Gale met Pat Boldock in a match that went right down to the wire.

After a slow start, in which she found herself 11-0 down, Boldock staged a strong recovery to get ahead by one shot.

However, Gale hit back to win the last two ends and squeeze home 21-20.

Gale had a more comfortable ride in the ladies' pairs, partnered by Helen Dix.

They were in control throughout and led 18-7 when opponents Barbara Flaxman and Linda Cuddihey conceded.

Gale had an even bigger triumph in the mixed triples, with husband Mike and Keith Twinn.

They led by a commanding 27-6 after 14 ends, when opponents Margaret Cole, Tony Sabey and Brian Avent decided there was no point carrying on.

It was not all plain sailing for Gale, who was forced to face defeat in two other finals.

In the open singles she pushed Dave Crabtree all the way before going down 21-17.

And in the the mixed pairs the Gale double act of Gillie and Mike were beaten 18-16 by Dave Nichols and Dix - who took it on the last end to secure a second title.

Crabtree came off second best in the men's singles, when he was beaten 21-11 by club chairman Bernard Brindley.

And the men's pairs proved a stroll for Roy Norton and Don Anderson, who produced a powerhouse display to dispose of Nichols and John Bridger 21-2.

The May Jackson Trophy, a competition for new bowlers, proved a close-run thing, with Alan Flatt beating Nield Forster 21-19 in a match that went to 25 ends.

Results: Open Singles - Dave Crabtree beat Gillie Gale 21-17; Ladies' Singles - Gillie Gale beat Pat Boldock 21-20; Men's Singles - Bernard Brindley beat Crabtree 21-11; Mixed Pairs - Nichols and Helen Dix beat Gillie and Mike Gale 18-16; Ladies' Pairs - Gale and Dix beat Barbara Flaxman and Linda Cuddihey 18-7; Men's Pairs - Don Anderson and Roy Norton beat John Bridger and Dave |Nichols 21-2; Mixed Triples - Gale, Gale and Keith Twinn beat Margaret Cole, Tony Sabey and Brian Avent 27-6; May Jackson Trophy - Alan Flatt beat Neild Forster 21-19.