Bob Love - unbelievable barefoot bowler!

Barefoot Bob Love, launches a shot with his toes in the Over 60s competition (images courtesy of David Rhys Jones).

ALL OF us from time to time, suffer a twinge or two, which can make the game of bowls a difficult game to handle, especially as we get older.

But spare a thought for Tamworth's Bob Love - a man literally with no arms, who takes to the green in bare feet and propels the bowl up the green with his toes.

Though he describes himself as 'a bowler with a disability rather than a disabled bowlers,' Bob is such an expert at this deft art that he skipped his Tamworth team-mate Neil Southall to the last 16 of the Over 60s pairs at Nottingham this week - an outstanding achievement in itself in a highly competitive bowling arena.

He enthralled spectators and competitors with the skill he showed, albeit proving a little disconcerting for their Barking opponents.

"We had no idea what was in store for us," said Barking skip Terry Hughes. "But I have every admiration for the guy, who turned heads around, and denied us a lot of shots. We had to dig deep and play our best to win that game."

After the lead had changed hands several times, Barking led 14-10 after 12 ends, but Southall and Love compiled a profitable 1-2-1-1-1 sequence to lead, 16-14, with only one end left to play. The Essex team held a match lie of three shots on the 18th end, but Love deftly pushed a Tamworth bowl in to the head cut the count to two shots to force an an extra end.

After Southall gave Tamworth a a good start on the 19th end good, Nelson trailed the jack to set up a three-count and Love's running bowls were narrowly off target, enabling Barking to book their place in the quarter finals.

"I'm not too disappointed," said Love, who has also qualified for the Over 60 singles.

Too right! The man's a legend.

In the final of the Over 60 Double Rink, Nottingham, who had earlier beaten Stamford by one shot in the Inter Area final, retained the title with a 40-28 defeat of Moonfleet (Weymouth) on their home green.

In the Double Rink Masons Trophy final for women, York beat Mote Park 42-23.