WORCESTER'S Rattler Boyz have been crowned men’s British skittles champions.

The first-time finalists from the city's Saracens Head pub triumphed over a team from Devon to secure the title after going unbeaten at the competition.

Rattler Boyz had a secret weapon in James Rushton, former captain of three-time champions Highwaymen, who swapped teams earlier this year.

They claimed the crown by just one pin with a final score of 362 after a heroic fightback by Granny Cornish’s Shorts from Barnstaple.

After the presentations Rattler Boyz captain Lole Carey said: "We had the best team ever here. But every match was tough. There wasn’t a single game handed to us."

Ten Worcester teams qualified for the championships in Torquay.

Defending champions Dumpty Numpties were put out in the quarter-finals by Highwaymen 285-250.

Highwaymen then fell to eventual runners-up Granny Cornish’s Shorts 308-292.

Renegades from Redditch, last year’s runners-up, tied in the initial group round with Mixers from Devon but got knocked out on pin count.

Serious About Events of Torquay stage the British championships every year.