Stamford Indoor Bowls Club and Langtoft Bowls Club members mourn the loss of Peter White

A former national bowls champion and founder member of a bowls club has died.

Peter White personified the term ‘club stalwart’, having fulfilled every position at Langtoft Bowls Club since he helped found it in 1992.

He contributed to converting it from an indoor carpet bowls club to an outdoor club, with its own green in the village.

Also a member of Stamford Indoor Bowls Club, Peter was one of those responsible for helping steer Langtoft to compete in the Stamford and Peterborough Leagues and contest Northants Bowling Federation competitions.

An avid competitor, he won various county titles including the senior mixed pairs with his wife Anne in 2017 - on the day of their 50th wedding anniversary - and the senior pairs with Malcolm Cullingworth the following year.

But his greatest individual achievement came in 2010 when, two years after winning the NBF champions of champions singles, he won the county Over-65 singles and went on to claim the national title at Skegness.

Langtoft official Nolan Catterwell said: “Peter was always the person we turned to whenever we wanted advice or information and he was a constant source of encouragement for our newer bowlers.

“Along with his devoted wife Anne, they were both awarded life membership of the club for their dedicated service.

“We are absolutely devastated at his sudden passing. He will be a great loss, not only to Langtoft Bowls Club but to the local bowls community.”

Peter died on Tuesday, aged 82.

by Bob Warters