WILTSHIRE’S young ladies team sprang a major shock, eliminating the holders Devon and going on to win the Amy Rose Bowl at the Bowls England national championships at Victoria Park, Royal Leamington Spa last weekend.

The competition for ladies aged 31 years and under has been well supported by Wiltshire for many years but without success for any of their double rinks sides until this season.

Twenty one county teams competed in the competition this year with Devon, Somerset and Kent each supplying two teams.

In round one on Saturday morning Wiltshire received a bye but in round two in the afternoon their girls stormed to a comprehensive 40-19 victory over Cumbria in the 15-end game.

The winning feeling continued on Sunday as the unchanged team played superbly to record three excellent wins to lift trophy for the very first time in their first ever appearance in the final.

They began on Sunday morning in the quarter-finals with a fine 10-shot victory 33-23 over Warwickshire.

Charlie Godwin’s rink won their match 22-10 against the rink skipped by England senior and junior international Kirsty Richards. Alongside, Kathryn Yeoman’s rink lost narrowly 11-13 to Helen Slimm.

This success gave Wiltshire a tough semi-final draw against holders Devon - the winners in 2012 and 2013 - but they rose to the tough challenge superbly, defeating Devon Belles in a tight encounter 29-28.

Once again Godwin skipped her rink to a win beating England junior and senior international Harriet Stevens comfortably 16-8. But Wiltshire’s other skip Yeoman lost 13-20 to another England senior international skip Natalie Chestney.

Wiltshire made it a final to remember, winning on both rinks over 15 ends against Cornwall by 12 shots in a 33-21 victory.

Yeoman tasted success on Sunday for the first time winning 15-13 against Rhian Pollard while Godwin in her final Amy Rose appearance due to her age - rounded off a superb day with her fourth victory of the competition in an 18-8 success over Michelle Moore.

Wiltshire’s team, rink 1: Katy Smith, Rachel Martin (both Royal Wootton Bassett), Joanna Hicks (Highworth) and Charlotte ‘Charlie’ Godwin (capt, RWB). Rink 2: Lucy Smith (RWB), Emily Jacob (Trowbridge Westbourne), Georgina Newman (Avon) and Kathryn Yeoman (Box). Res: Louise Rose (Rodbourne Cheney) and Kerry Hatherall (RWB).