FOR the second year running, Haslemere were the overall winners of Waverley Borough Council's Inter-Town Sports, held at Godalming on Sunday.

Some 850 sportsmen and women of all ages, from the four main areas of population in the borough, took part in 17 sports including rugby, basketball and swimming.

Celebrity guest, Alan Ball took part in a friendly football match with a team of disabled youngsters and presented Special Achievement Awards to competitors who had excelled in their events.

David Gill, Waverley's sports and recreation manager thanked everyone in Godalming for their support and added :"Special thanks must go to Charterhouse Club and all the sports co-ordinators. Without their help the event would not have been possible."

The Mayor of Haslemere, Fay Foster, received the winner's shield from Mayor of Waverley John Sandy.

Haslemere won the junior games with 77 points from Cranleigh's 69 and Godalming won the senior games with 88 points tot Haslemere's 74. Haslemere finished top overall with 161 points. Godalming came second with 154 points. There was little to choose between Cranleigh and Farnham, with Cranleigh just pipping their close rivals by 124 points to 123.

The Inter-Town Sports is held annually with the 2002 competition being scheduled for Haslemere.

Haslemere mayor Fay Foster said after the event: "It was just fantastic, I'm absolutely bursting with pride for the town.

"Our teams did so well. One of the most exciting things was the indoor rowing on four rowing machines.You could watch the progress of the contestants, we were all screaming!

"There was brilliant organisation for the day."

Mrs Foster added that the only shadow on the day was the fact that the angling and disabled angling had to be cancelled because of the foot-and-mouth crisis.

"The weather was not good, but it didn't put a dampener on the day," Mrs Foster continued.

"There were about 850 athletes there taking part in 33 events.

"What appealed to me was that there were all ages taking part and there was such terrific sportsmanship. There was a very good atmosphere about it all."