Stamford and Bourne bowlers have a combined age of 193 years

Two of the oldest local bowlers - with a combined age of 193 years - crossed swords when Stamford Indoor Bowls Club entertained Bourne Town.

John Allwood (95), a former carpenter and joiner, is the home club’s oldest participant but he met his match when introduced to Bourne’s most senior player Dick Salmon (98), an ex-racing mechanic for BRM, the town’s former Grand Prix race car-maker, which won the world title in 1972.

From adjoining rinks and still ultra competitive, they watched each others’ performances closely, both contributing some excellent shots as the visitors ran out winners 76-67.

While Allwood helped build many of the post-war housing estates around Stamford and was well known from the early 1950s playing all sports including golf, tennis and badminton, Salmon recalled helping Graham Hill win the drivers championship and BRM the constructors title with Hill and Jochem Rindt in 1962.

‘They were great times, working for Raymond Mays and BRM,” he said, “travelling all over the world to work in the pits at Grand Prix including Italy, USA and Mexico. I met so many famous drivers including Juan Fangio, Jackie Stewart, Mike Hawthorn and Jim Clark.”

But just like Allwood, bowls still gets his competitive juices flowing.

Dick is currently nearing completion of his second motor-racing book, following his widely read “BRM: A mechanic’s tale.” He hopes his next “100 years of Bourne motor-racing history” will be equally successful when it is published in February.