TERRY Kettle was feeling festive and deserving of a celebration when he hauled in 47lb 8oz to dominate the Northwich Weaver Open on Saturday, writes JOHN STUBBS.

Kettle (Vale Royal AC) was drawn on peg 359 and he took 20 bream on the feeder.

Another Vale Royal rod, Reg Evans, also struck bream off 342 and put six 3lb-ers on the scales for a total 21-12-0 and second place.

Their clubmate Keith Smith had bream and skimmers for 17-10-0 and completed a clean sweep for Vale Royal. The match was contested by 18 anglers.

Timmy Wright was Winsford AA's Christmas match winner, picking up 13-13-0 on tip and feeder off peg 568 on the Aerosol stretch. It made him an easy winner - Pete Leighton had 5-8-0, Matthew Brown 4-0-0 and section winners were Reg Evans 3-7-0 and Mark Liptrop 3-6-0.

Winsford Veterans brought their Border series to a close with the day belonging to Alex Walton, 17-8-0, who beat off Arnold Sutton 16-8-0 and Doug Maddock 15-0-0, while sections were topped by Lol Bradley 13-8-0, Ian Shaw 8-12-0 and John Dickens 6-6-0.

Strong winds made bait presentation difficult for the competitors in Barnton & Frodsham AC's midweek match on Heesom's Pool last Wednesday, but the adverse conditions did not hamper Terry Middleton as he demolished his opponents.

Drawn on peg 18, Middleton used a light tip rod with groundbait feeder and maggot on the hook to land skim-mers to the 1lb-mark together with a few roach to finish with a thumping 11-7-10. Chris Hargadon, peg 11, used the same method as Terry for a skim-mer and roach net of 5-12-10 and the second slot.

In third was Calvin Tagg with 5-5-0 of roach and skimmers caught on the pinkie fished on the pole at 10 metres from peg 21.

On Sunday, Dave Blears landed more than 80 small roach and gudgeon to place 1-12-10 on the scales to claim the top points on offer in the second round of the Scott's Shield series.

The venue was the Red Lion length of the Trent & Mersey Canal and Blears caught all of his fish on bread punch presented on the pole close to the far bank. Second was Trevor Jones with 1-6-9 of roach and gudgeon, again tempted by pole-fished bread punch. The frame was completed by Steve Furfie with 1-4-8.

Weaver Matches Winsford: Today and next Wednesday - Open, draw 9.30am Marina. Northwich: Saturday - Open, 1-60; Boxing Day and New Year's Day - Local Cup 1st and 2nd legs, town centre, Hunt's Lock and boats.