THE DAILY QUEST

Walter Pritchard, 47, has won the town's first Bingo Bowling Championship despite having never bowled a game in his life.

Pritchard entered Saturday's competition after downloading a Bingo Bowling card from CoolSideQuests.com.

"I thought I'd try it," he said. "The shoes were included."

While experienced bowlers concentrated on strikes and spares, Pritchard spent much of the afternoon aiming at things most competitors were trying to avoid.

His first two gutter balls were greeted with considerable enthusiasm.

"I needed those," he explained.

During the fifth frame, he knocked down a single pin and celebrated as though he'd won the national championship.

Across the lane, tournament favourite Darren Mitchell was having an excellent game.

He finished with 218 points.

Pritchard finished with a completed bingo card.

"BINGO!" he shouted, waving the paper over his head.

Mitchell protested that the winner should, at the very least, know how to bowl.

The organizers checked the rules.

There was nothing about that.

Pritchard accepted his prize, purchased a hot dog, and announced his retirement from competitive bowling.

"I'd like to go out on top."

Edith Mercer finally repaired the squeaky gate outside her house on Tuesday.

It had been making the same noise for eleven years.

"I put some oil on the hinge," Edith said. "Took about thirty seconds."

The repair has not been universally welcomed.

For years, neighbours had relied on the gate's distinctive squeal to announce Edith's morning walk, the arrival of the postman, and her grandson's visits on Sunday afternoons.

"I used to hear that gate around eight and know I was running late," said neighbour Arthur Bell. "Now I have to look at the clock."

Edith has refused requests to remove the oil.

"It's my gate."

Arthur is considering purchasing a squeaky gate of his own.