A WEST FIFE bowls star's bid for a glory at a British competition being held at her home club ended in defeat on Wednesday.

Abbeyview Bowling Club's Sophie McGrouther competed in the women's junior singles final of the British Isles Indoor Bowls Council (BIIBC) after enjoying success in her last four match on Monday, but lost out to Wales' Lauren Gowan.

The competition is being held as part of the BIIBC International Series, which began last Friday and runs until this Saturday, featuring ladies and gents team events, as well as the individual British Isles Championships.

The latter began on Monday, and concluded yesterday, with Sophie, having defeated Chloe Greechan, of the Channel Islands, 21-6 in the semi-final, taking on Gowan for the chance of lifting the prestigious title.

She was aiming to lift the trophy won by Abbeyview club-mate, Kara Lees, last year, after missing out on helping Scotland retain their ladies international series title, but went down to a 21-10 loss to her opponent.

Sophie and Kara, alongside Lynn Lees, Gemma Forrester and 2022 Commonwealth Games gold medalist, Sarah Jane Ewing, were all involved with the Scots squad that agonisingly missed out on winning the competition for a second successive year.

The holders made the ideal start to their trophy defence in their first match, against Ireland, as they won five of their six rinks, en-route to a 143-88 victory.

Sarah Jane, who last year became a Commonwealth champion in her role as a director in the B2/B3 classification mixed pairs in para bowls, and who is an indoor member at Headwell Bowling Club, and an outdoor member at Abbeyview, helped her rink, including Gemma, to victory, while Kara, in the second rink, and Sophie and Lynn, in the fourth, did likewise.

On day two, the Scots took on Wales and won all six of their rinks for another 143-88 victory, with Gemma and Sarah Jane's rink completing a whitewash in a match that also featured Sophie, Lynn and Kara.

That put the hosts top of the standings going into their final match against England but, in a dramatic climax, they were just pipped in the battle to win the trophy.

Gemma and Sarah Jane, alongside Kim Watt and Catherine McIntosh, got the Scots off to the ideal start as their rink clinched victory but, despite leading 114-109 going into the last end, Scotland failed to score, and dropped eight shots, as England took the honours by three shots.

The action continues today and tomorrow after the gents international series begins, featuring names such as Alex 'Tattie' Marshall, and Paul Foster, began yesterday.

Scotland take on Wales this afternoon, before meeting England tomorrow afternoon, with England playing Ireland this morning, and Ireland and Wales meeting tomorrow morning.

For more information, visit Abbeyview Bowling Club, the BIIBC, or Scottish Indoor Bowls Association (SIBA), on Facebook.