COLIN PANKHURST defied the odds to win the Lymington Christmas Open.

Flounders and bass provided the action around the Lymington & Pennington sea wall, where Pankhurst, from the Waterside, won with three flounders weighing 3lb 15oz.

Fishing from the unfancied yellow section, Pankhurst, a 41-year-old maintenance operator, used ragworm to tempt his catch which included a nice 1lb 12oz flounder.

Also fishing in yellow section was Brendon Archer, a 30-year-old carpenter from New Milton, who used white ragworm to tempt a 3lb oz bass which was the heaviest fish.

Paul Dibben, also from New Milton, came third in the event which attracted 87 competitors with 2lb 11oz, which included a 2lb 4oz specimen flattie.

He was followed by Terry Smith 2lb 10oz, Bob Minnes 2lb 8oz, Roland Blomfield 2lb 1.13oz, Glen Gates 1lb 13oz, Derek Smith 1lb 10oz and Ian Thompson 1lb 6oz.

The pairs section was won by Terry Smith and Ian Thompson with 4lb 1oz, while the junior section was won by seven-year-old Chantelle Saunders, who attends Pennington First School, with a 13 flounder followed by Daniel Dawkins with 11oz.

It will be the end of an era along the Waterside when the fishing section of the Esso Fawley Club disbands at the end of the year and re-groups as a new club to be named the Ashlett SAC.

The good news, however, is that the new club will retain all the old trophies and the fishing assets associated with the old club thanks to a decision taken by the main committee of the Esso Social Club.

To join the new club there will be a one-off joining fee of £10 and then a yearly subscription for adults of £6, while juniors will only have to pay £3. Full membership details from Bob Kitcher on 02380-846895.

With the Esso Fawley SAC closing its doors, the final championship placings of the year were eagerly contested. The new beach champion is Steve Hurst with 71 points, followed by Rid Brindson 46, Maurice Young 42, Ted Yeates 41 and Erni Cuthbertson 39.

The new ladies' champion is Sian Rowland with 59 points followed by Kayleigh Wheeler 56, Ida Owen 35 and Sue Hurst 16.

The junior champion for the very last time in the club's history is Sian Rowland with 55 points, closely followed by Kayleigh Yeates 53, Gary Yeates 53 and Dan Yeates 44 points.