KARL Biddle, Tony Bench, and Tony Avery were last weekend's qualifiers for the Shakespeare Championships over the August Bank Holiday weekend.

Hampton Ferry and Evesham Town Waters were the venues on a clear Warwickshire Avon that fished well for the 61 participants in the sweltering heat.

Biddle, fishing for the Woodys Angling Centre in Hereford, brought three beautiful tench to the scales that weighed in at 10-14-0 caught on a pole/worm off peg 81 on the Ferry.

Local Shakespeare man Bench enjoyed some wonderful sport off Ferry peg 35 catching a tench and some roach that weighed in at exactly 10lbs.

Starlets Matchman Rob Middleton was third also with roach and had 9-10-0 off peg 42 on the Town.

Other weights: 4 Rob South 8-3-0 Ferry 6); 5 Jason Buik 7.14.0 (Ferry 58).