FORMER Worcester national stars Les Sanders and Keith Hunt successfully held on to their lead to be crowned the Worcester and District United Anglers' Association Winter League champions.

Ice-breaking tactics were needed to make this rearranged last round on the canal at Perdiswell take place and as expected catches were seriously affected with less than 1lb needed to win on the day.

Top rod was Nick Vaughan who on peg 30 above the walk-over bridge took a dozen tiny perch on worm bait to put a winning 0lb 15oz 3dr onto the scales.

Greenman’s Richard Brewer came second on peg 34 also with small perch but he did include a bonus rudd in his 0-9-9 net to beat Lee Davey who took 0-7-4 from peg 62 for third place.

On the day Vaughan and Mick Samson were joint first with Sanders and Hunt as both pairs scored three points.

The overall league after five rounds saw Sanders and Hunt on top with 34 points followed by Samson and Vaughan with 41.

In joint third spot on 44 were Brewer and Bob Patrick along with Lee Davey and Lee Davies.

Worcester’s Rob Wilson narrowly won the Woodland View Sunday open when he took 34-8 from Deans pool peg 63.

John Booth came second on peg 45 with 31-4 and in third was Ron Phero weighing 26-10.

The previous day's fur and feather contest on Back Deans saw Gary Kirkham win with 14-2 from peg 43.

John Astle was second with 12-4 and in third came Andy Morrison weighing 9-12.

Moorlands Farm, Thursday, Costcutter open: 1 M Watson 56-11, 2 B Tandy 47-0, 3 T Mort 22-7; Saturday open: 1 C Pace 39-4, 2 P Ali 31-11, 3 P Hodge 28-10; Sunday open: 1 A Jones 33-14, 2 S Burrus 32-14, 3 R Kings 28-8.