BURNHAM Hillside Bowls Club have won a prestigious national Bowling Green Groundsmen/Team of the Year Award.

They were one of two entrants to be shortlisted at this year's National Institute of Groundsmanship (IOG) award presentation ceremony at the Birmingham Motorcycle Museum.

This prestigious event recognises teams and individuals all over the country for their excellence in grounds maintenance across a wide variety of sports.

The other nomination was for Arthur Lynsey, from Potton Bowls Club, in Bedfordshire.

An ecstatic Graham Pinch and Sid Curtis, two of Burnham's volunteer green team members, represented the club on the night and were presented with the award by IOG chief executive Geoff Webb.

They received it in front of an audience of more than 640 of the UK and Europe’s leading grounds care experts, as well as dignitaries from the governing bodies of sport and influential sports administrators.

Afterwards the duo said this award was not only recognition for all the hard dedicated work of volunteers of Len Hyam, Tony Burke, Graeme Smith, Neville Evans, Malcolm Pinch and Terry Sims but also for the past work, over many years, that other club members have done in order to make the club's green and surrounding areas a location to be proud of.