MATT Pearce took the honours as Devizes Angling Association held its own version of the South West Junior Championships at Crookwood Lake, near Urchfont on Saturday 20 July.

Devizes AA took it upon themselves to arrange their own individual tournament after the original team event, due to be held on the canal at Seend on the same day, was cancelled by the NFA because of a lack of entries.

And the new venue proved a hit with 18 junior anglers from Swindon, Gloucester and Devizes, with good weights being produced at every peg.

Devizes angler Pearce made the most of his swim to clinch first place with 14lb 5oz of roach, crucian carp, perch and tench.

He used a pole and fished maggot, sweet corn and caster over groundbait and loose fed maggots.

Pearce's Devizes team mate Matt Hewton was also in fine form and concentrated on small fish to finish second. Hewton's 12lb 13oz haul included roach, crucian carp, perch and goldfish.

Martyn Howard from Peatmoor took third spot with 11lb 6oz, while team mate William Bryant and Devizes' Ben Lomas-Milne tied for fourth after landing 11lb 4oz worth of fish.

Organiser Danny Williamson felt the rearranged event had proved successful and is hoping to hold future events at Crookwood Lake.

He said: "We decided to run a match for juniors after the NFA decided to cancel the one at Seend and invited all those that had entered to take part.

"It was a successful day and people have said they want to come back again next year. We had a lot of nice comments. The lake fished well and all the juniors did very well."

Williamson is one of only ten recognised JAGB angling coaches in the country after recently completing an NVQ advanced level two in coaching and teaching the sport.

He holds weekly coaching sessions at Currys Pound and hopes his coaching qualification will help attract youngsters in the town to the sport.

Said Williamson: "I think the South West Championships were cancelled partly because of the venue and partly because fishing is declining a bit in clubs not just in this area, but throughout the country.

"We haven't had a facility for the kids in recent years, but Currys Pound is safe and has easy access, which is one of the main problems with angling.

"I get between 16 and 20 coming along every week and the coaching has been very successful.

"The club is being built up properly and we want to get kids off the streets and taking part in a sport like fishing."

Devizes AA hold junior coaching sessions at Currys Pound on Tuesday evenings between 6pm and 8pm. The sessions runs until the end of August and anyone interested can contact Danny Williamson on (01380) 860479.