His 15 lbs 4oz gave him the spoils ahead of Len White, owner of Surbiton Angling, in the club's match at Hunter's Lodge.

Philip had another reason to celebrate this week, when he was awarded the Angling Times clubman of the week prize. This is a tremendous achievement for the club which has only 25 members , but which has scooped seven such awards in the last three years. Many clubs with ten times this number have never even received one.

The reports I've had this week indicate that all the cold rain we've had recently has taken its toll on the form of many of our local stillwaters.

Those least affected are Old Bury Hill, where Bonds lake continues to produce good bags of small carp and tench, while the complex's main lake is giving good nets of sizeable bream to maggot feeder and worm.

Whytevane Pond's superb stock of big carp is still showing with usual top swims, while the Boathouse and the Oak Tree are doing the business with whisky or liver boilies proving to be the best offerings.