A bowls player based in Beccles is celebrating clinching a spot at the sports premium event in this country.

Ian Catchpole, of the Beccles Indoor Bowls Club, together with his pairs partner Aaron Johnson, of the Norfolk Bowling Club, have qualified for the World Indoor Bowls Championships.

It is being held at the Potters holiday resort in January at Hopton.

Mr Catchpole is the first player from the Beccles club to qualify for the world championships event, and it will also be Mr Johnson's first time at the event.

Both players played together for the first time in the summer entering the Bowls England national pairs.

They reached the semi final at Leamington Spa, losing to the eventual title winners.

On the back of this success they decided upon an entry to try and reach the pairs finals at Potters.

They reached the finals by winning the English qualifying rounds, played at Bromley in Kent.

Their first round match in the championships will be against the Hong Kong pairing of Alan Yuen and Timmy Lui on Friday, January 5 at 2pm.