WHITCHURCH bowls duo Rosemary Corney and Paula Rowntree are the new national mother-and-daughter champions of England, having won the title at Leamington Spa.

Last year the pair finished runners-up but this time they went one better by winning the crown with a great comeback.

Playing against Amy Gowshall, a bronze medallist in the women's pair event at the Commonwealth Games, and her mother Chris, they were trailing 16-9 and looked to be heading for defeat.

But a four-shot win on the next started a surge which ended with them winning 18-16.

Corney said: "Paula played a great bowl in the final end to land on the jack and, from then on, I just tried to block them from having a shot at it."

She admitted to giving in to a little emotion as she burst into tears, saying: "It was absolutely brilliant to win."

The pair both live in Whitchurch and play for the local club. This was their 10th year in the competition.

The following week, Rowntree was in action for Hampshire in the county under-31 championship at Leamington Spa.

She won on her rink, but overall they lost to Sussex in the knock-out competition.