MEMBERS of Bexley Blind Bowling Club are celebrating after winning a prestigious bowls tournament.

The triples team of Joan Chinery, Alf Llewellyn, Cifford Wright and caller Marjorie Wright, were the best of 10 teams in the John Young Cup at Wansdworth last month.

Partially sighted bowls players use a clock system where a caller points out to them the position of the balls in relation to the jack using the hands on a clock face.

This means a ball which is "two yards and ten" is two yards from the jack in the 10 o'clock position.

John Harris, 75, has been secretary of the club since 1988. He said: "When people lose their sight they get a bit despondent but if there's something like this to challenge them it's great. It's a social thing as well."

A former health service administrator who lives on Bromley Common, Mr Harris is a type one diabetic who began to lose his vision aged 30.

He and the club of 22 play every Tuesday during the summer from 1.30pm to 4.30pm in Danson Park.

On other days they have around 12 matches against different teams and from October to April the club play on a Wednesday from 11.30am-2.30pm at White Oak Indoor Bowls Centre in Swanley.

Prospective players or sighted volunteers who want to act as callers or helpers can contact Mr Harris on 020 8462 7572 or Edwin Davis on 020 8306 2266.