Gordon Pygott and Peter Lawrence, holders of the Tom Forbes Pairs, were beaten 35-8 by Eddie Howcroft and Frank Turner in this year's final.

The competition, only open to the over-60s, had a great response with 58 entries playing from the first game to the last over a ten-day period.

Howcroft and Turner scored a four, five and a two on the fifth, sixth and seventh ends to open an early 16-3 lead in the final, which seemed to knock the stuffing out of their opponents, who found themselves 28-4 down at the end of the 13th end and could not get back in the match.

There was a closer game in the third/fourth place play-off game where Alan Johnston and Norman Vause beat Ken Walker and Greg Love 22-13.

Walker and Love were leading 11-7 at the 12th end before Johnston and Vause scored a one, six, two, three and two in successive ends to take control of the game.

There were new names on the Christmas Mixed Pairs trophy after Dot Kennelly and Dave Hewick, who have monopolised the event in recent years, were knocked out in the second round.

The final saw Eddie Howcroft and Betty Richardson lose 17-15 to Iain Boyle and Shirley Stacey.

Howcroft and Richardson took an early 7-1 lead after only four ends and kept the initiative up to the 13th end when Boyle and Stacey scored a four to put them 13-12 in front.

The game was level again two ends later at 14-14 before a one and a two put them ahead again.

On the last end Howcroft and Richardson needed three shots to take the game into an extra end, but could only get a single and lost the game 17-15.