Local Sport

Devon victorious as local greens come under threat

In Bowls, a capable Devon side overcame dogged opposition at Dorset to register a 133-88 victory in the EBA Middleton Cup. The current Devon squad is bristling with many emerging and established stars including England’s internationally ranked pro Ian Bond. But whilst the Devon side looks strong, many bowling greens in and around Exeter are coming under threat.

Many of the parks and playing fields in Exeter are hot-spots for unruly teenagers to drink, fornicate and generally transmit profanity. But whilst this type of behaviour from teenagers is well known to the Police, the authorities are receiving a number of complaints from residents about a different group of park users. Mothers with young children especially have been appalled at the language emanating from bowling greens throughout the weekend.

During a recent bout at the bowling club in Princes Gardens, St Thomas, one elderly lady was heard exclaiming "Give me a good length!", followed shortly by "I want it up the middle hard to try and burst the head!". Other vociferous sexual and substance related outbursts included "You're too tight! You'll need to force it in from that angle", "You need a bit more grass and a bit more rub" and "His bools are too close... Next time release it harder and faster!".

This recent outbreak of adverse publicity is not the first that the sport has received regarding the colourful language of its veteran participants. After winning the Over 85 All England Invitation Open in Brighton last year, an exuberant Reg Winterstone let himself down in an after match interview. When asked how he felt after being crowned champion, Reg beamed "Brand new! In fact – I feel like a new baby, no hair, no teeth and I've just pissed meself".