THE great Beccles v Bungay Challenge reached its climax on Wednesday - and saw Beccles wrest the town title from their neighbours who had held it for the past two years.

THE great Beccles v Bungay Challenge reached its climax on Wednesday - and saw Beccles wrest the town title from their neighbours who had held it for the past two years.

The two town councils, led by their mayors, went head to head in a quiz at Beccles' King's Head Hotel which the host team won by six points - but previous results meant that they had already won the trophy given by the Beccles and Bungay Journal, which organises the annual fun event.

The Journal's associate editor Terry Reeve, who was quizmaster for the evening, presented the new cup, which will be passed to the winners each year in future, to the Mayor of Beccles, David Smith, who thus won a trophy just a week after taking office. He said he was delighted Beccles had won the challenge, and praised the Journal for its organisation of an event which helped to bring together many organisations in the two towns in enjoyable competition.

The mayor of Bungay, John Groom, congratulated Beccles on their win, and on an enjoyable quiz. He said Bungay was sorry to lose the challenge title after holding it for two years, but would be back next year determined to win it back. And he thanked all those teams which had represented the town.

Mr Reeve said the event had brought 15 challenges this year, including some new activities, and he was grateful to all those who had responded once again.

“The aim is to bring together clubs, pubs, societies and other groups in fun competition and it has certainly done that again this year,” he said. “There has been a great atmosphere this evening and that is what it is all about - getting the two towns together socially as well as in friendly competition which is not taken too seriously.”

He also presented plaques, also provided by the Journal, to representatives of individual teams who had won their events. Plaques would also be given to those not able to be there on the evening.

The winning Beccles Town Council team was represented by David Smith, Jeff Harris, Alan Thwaites, Jack Walmsley, Chris Punt, John Sigsworth and Colin Richardson. Bungay Town Council's team comprised John Groom, Dave O'Neill, Janet Blowers-O'Neill, John Palin, Arthur Fisher, Simon Woods and Jim Jervis.

Scorer for the quiz was Penny Reeve. The competition was followed by a buffet provided by Beccles Town Council.