WORCESTER and District United Anglers’ Association chairman Ray Ravenhall broke the River Avon match record during a five-hour Carr’s AS club contest.

On the association waters at Pensham, Ravenhall used an open-end feeder set-up along with groundbait, maggot and worm to amass 49 hefty bream, which, along with a brace of roach, pulled the scales down to a 198lbs 6oz total.

Rick Latham took a 25-8 bream weight, which would normally be enough to claim first prize but had to be content with the runner-up spot. Mark Hone was third with 15-0.

Meanwhile, Sue Jaques continued her fine run with another win, this time on the Cavalier section of the canal.

She came out on top of the latest WDUAA open with a perch and roach weight of 4lbs 6oz 5dr all falling to worm bait offered into the centre channel on peg 132.

Seasoned campaigner Bill Biddle came second with one bream and a few perch going 3-5-3 from peg 146.

Match organiser Rich Brewer’s hemp-caught roach net of 3-3-7 claimed third place, while in fourth was Chris Turner with 2-12-9.

Barbourne AC man Bob Griffiths started the new season where he left off with an emphatic win on the club pool.

He took 56-10 of carp on a pellet feeder from peg six, while in equal second place were Pete Hughes and Pete Rowles with carp nets of 16-8.

Veteran national angler Tony Hamilton ended a long lean spell by winning the Droitwich Spa contest on the canal at Stoke Works’ ‘triangle’ section with a bread-taken bream and roach net of 5-6.

Robin Senter came second with 4-3-4 to beat Dave Anderson’s 3-6 breadpunch-caught weight.

Section winners were Kevin Downton, Tony Brunn, Mal Galliers and Chris Rice.

Members were saddened to hear long-time member Jack Sparkes died last week.

Venue expert Kevin Jackson showed members of the Whitehall club a clean pair of heels when he won the Friday contest at Fishponds.

Maggot and micro pellet offered against the reeds on peg 16 produced a mixed bag of silvers for Jackson and, along with a solitary carp, weighed in a winning total of 18-15.

Previous match winner Nigel Hobday claimed the runner-up spot when, despite losing a number of big fish, he weighed in 13-5 of tench and bream from peg three.

Third was Alf Hand on peg seven with a bream and ide catch going 10-1, which narrowly beat Len Merrell’s peg 17 mainly roach weight of 9-9.

Results from Moorlands Farm, Thursday Costcutter: 1 M Watson 91-0, 2 J Bagley 57-12; Saturday winter pairs: 1 M Watson 93-0, 2 L Richards 75-4; Pairs: 1 N Groves and L Richards 2; Sunday open: 1 L Richards 82-10, 2 I Giddings 77-5.