York and District Indoor Bowls Club have been chosen to host the North of England roadshow promoted by the Bowls magazine 'Today's Bowler'.

The prestigious event on Sunday, April 10, will be graced by seven-times world champion and current Commonwealth singles gold medallist Margaret Johnston, who will be guest of honour.

The roadshow immediately follows the North of England Development Scheme where 32 youngsters are to take place in a competition designed to enhance the skills of some of the top bowlers from Cumbria, Northumberland, Durham and Yorkshire.

Johnston, who will be bringing her collection of medals for display, will present the top boy and girl with their awards before challenging them to a game of pairs with York's Mike Parker, who is co-ordinating the junior tournament.

Johnston will also play in a singles competition with ex-England Under 25s player Michelle Mooring, ex-England player Iain Boyle and one of Yorkshire's top players - David Stroughair. The roadshow will finish with a game between York IBC's Paul Allenby, the 2003 England singles champion, against Johnston.

Anyone interested is invited to the event, which starts with the juniors tournament at 9.30am, the roadshow at approximately 4pm before finishing at 7.30pm.

York duo David Stroughair and Frank Turner came third in the pairs discipline of the Bonanza Bowls Top Ten Tournament.

The duo only lost one game out of the six at Ryedale Indoor Bowls Club, where the fours of Gordon Smith, Kevin Davy, Eddie Howcroft and Graham Instone finished in sixth place but were just two points adrift of winners Hull Jaguars.

The triples of an injured Paul Mooring, Phil Emmerson and Phil Parsons won just two games, while Iain Boyle only won two of his six singles matches to finish in tenth place.

Stuart Smith and Ann Redhead won the York IBC Easter mixed pairs.

Smith and Redhead trailed in the final to Ann and Colin Sharpley, but countered from a 5-2 deficit to win 7-5.

Jan Collinson and Gordon Fennell lost their first game of the day 11-4 in the plate competition, but from then never looked back. They won all their other games including a 15-2 win over Margaret Smith and David Robinson in the final.

At New Earswick, Ray Bowman and Joan Parker took the John Goodhall drawn pairs title after beating Mick Stannard and Jean Miller 6-3.

Updated: 10:18 Thursday, March 31, 2005