CHRIS Ashton is enjoying a fantastic start to the 2001 bowls season.

Success is blessing him as part of the King and Queen team which is flying high in both the Monday and Friday leagues of Warrington and North Cheshire Bowls Association.

Cup runs are being mounted with King and Queen too in the semi-finals of the town's Silcock Cup, the quarter-finals of the Challenge Cup and they are still figuring in the Lancashire Team Knockout.

But 36-year-old Chris, who lives in Silverdale Road, showed on Sunday that he can cut the cloth in individual competitions as well as with his team.

He was delighted to win the Lancashire Merit for the first time at Leigh Bowling Club, which has gained him qualification for the All England Merit and for the Champion of Champions.

Chris said: "Going through to the Champion of Champions puts me up against the best in the game and that can only improve my own game."

In storming to glory at Leigh Chris defeated Wigan's ex-Waterloo champion Bill Hilton 21-18 in the final.

Another Wigan bowler was swept aside in the semi-finals but only after a fright. Chris defeated Mark Brittain 21-20 but only after clawing his way back from 20-12, highlighting his dogged determination to succeed this season.

The Merit win made up for losing out in the semi-finals of the Bass Classic at Pierpoints the week before. He lost that tie 21-4 to eventual winner Neil Simpson, of Yorkshire.