NORTH Wilts Indoor Bowls Club will stage an Open Singles tournament next weekend (March 22-23), with the winner receiving a handsome top prize of £1,000.

It will be the first such event the club, based at Westcroft in Chippenham, has held, with the Gazette & Herald being one of the co-sponsorsof the tournament.

The event is part of the planetbowls.com series of 26 open events this season which culminate in the top 32 players in the rankings accrued from tournaments competing in a grand final at Boston in October for the overall title.

The North Wilts tournament has attracted a full house field of 62 players plus a reserve list.

The singles knockout competition starts on the Saturday from 5-9.30pm and restarts at 8.30am on the Sunday, with the final scheduled for 8.30pm.

The total prize money on offer is £2,150 with £1,000 going to the winner.

A top-class includes six winners and six runners-up on the planetbowls circuit this season, as well as both the men’s and ladies 2014 English National Champion of Champions winners, England international Julie Leake (Bournemouth) and former England U18 international Ryan Atkins (Malvern Hills).

North Wilts participants include Sue Cooke who lost in the Champion of Champions quarter-final to Leake 21-20.

Bowlamania, Stoves of Dauntsey, Corsham Print, Beazer Electrical Services and Chippenham Conservatories and Windows are also sponsoring, while Wadworth Brewery are backing the Bounty Hunter prize, offered to anyone who can defeat the event’s top-ranked player.

Spectators are welcome, with admission free and the club bar and restaurant open.

NORTH Wilts are trying to re-establish a junior section and will hold a Junior Taster Day on Saturday March 29 (10am-2pm).

Children aged 7-16 are welcome to attend, with equipment such as bowls and shoes supplied.

See nwbowls.co.uk for more details or e-mail the club nwibc@gotadsl.co.uk.

SEE A FULL TOURNAMENT PREVIEW IN NEXT WEEK'S GAZETTE & HERALD