Sidmouth bowlers were all so looking forward to the much-anticipated Lady Captain’s Day event at the club, writes Susie Bonnell.

However, it almost did not happen this year, as, at 12.30, just as the ladies assembled for lunch, the skies darkened, thunder and lightning rolled in, followed by torrential rain!

Sidmouth ladies’ captain, Karen Hollingdale, had chosen a black and white theme for the day, including black and white face paints!

Even Karen’s guests joined in, dressing in black and white and having their faces painted!

It was flowers for the captain’s team and ‘pussy-cat faces’ for the vice-captains’s ladies.

Great fun - but not a good look when drenched by the rain! Luckily for all - during lunch (a delicious meal prepared by Karen’s husband, Allan, ably assisted by John Mason, Mick Cox and Stewart Thomson) the clouds blew over and play became possible.

There was much ribbing and friendly rivalry as the teams battled for their own side - but in the end, captain Karen and her team were rewarded with an overall win - and it was Karen’s rink who walked off with the top score of the day - the rink won 26-10 and was led by skip, Jill Bishop, with her team, Karen, Jean Brimson and Mary Meadows.