Aspatria Bowling Club is celebrating after three of their star players brought a big national title back to Cumbria.

Brothers Stuart and Mark Irwin plus Kevin Harrison were victorious in the national championships.

They saw off teams from six different counties to claim the men’s triples trophy in the major competition at Leamington Spa.

The trio, who have further success in their sights, have been saluted by club colleagues.

Aspatria club captain Ryan Irving said: “It’s a cracking achievement by them. The club’s really proud.

“These three got to the final in 2019 as well, so it’s no fluke.

“But it’s unprecedented success for the club. As far as I’m aware we’ve had no national winners before.

“They have done us proud. I would hope that, in the future, England might take a look at them.”

The Irwin brothers and Harrison saw off teams from Oxfordshire, Northumberland, Warwickshire, Norfolk and Lancashire before defeating Derbyshire in the final.

They had progressed to the national competition after winning the county title as well as the northern counties crown.

“They’re very good indeed,” Irving added of the trio.

“Mark Irwin has also won the county singles title, and he’s competing in the national singles competition next Thursday.

“They’ve been playing probably 15-20 years now. Stuart and Mark spur each other on. We always have the conversation about who’s the better of the two and it’s always difficult to decide.

“With 2019’s experience, they weren’t afraid of anybody. I don’t think, if you asked loads of top bowlers from around the country if Cumbria would win it, they would put us up there – but they set high standards.

“It’s a great accolade for Cumbria and, at Aspatria, this this is the most successful season we’ve had. We’ve won the triples league, winning 19 out of 19 matches so far, and we’re hoping to stay unbeaten in our last match this weekend.”

The Aspatria trio’s national success means they will also go on to represent England in the British Isles Championships

And they will be aiming for further national success this Sunday when they compete in the Top Club competition.

They take on Newark Northern in the last-16 at Houghton Dairy Lane in Sunderland, aiming to progress to the quarter-finals at Leamington Spa.

The match is being streamed on YouTube from 11am by The Wrong Bias podcast.