WARRINGTON Anglers' Association has become the first angling club to undergo a full audit on behalf of Sport England.

Our association underwent the audit to maintain our prestigious Clubmark status, which was awarded just under 12 months ago.

We came through the audit with flying colours and were complimented in no uncertain terms on our procedures and the way our club was run.

Thanks to all our volunteers and members who made this possible.

A total of 21 anglers fished our disabled and over 60s match on the Bridgewater Canal at London Bridge on Monday.

All pegs, with one exception, produced only roach to caster or punch bread.

The winner was Ray Bowden with an all-roach catch, with runner up George Barber putting his all skimmer catch on the scales for 3lbs 10oz 0drms.

Generally the Bridgewater Canal is producing some good pleasure catches, mainly roach.

That is understandable considering the numbers of roach that we have recently stocked.

I have also got a bit of late news from just over a week ago of a specimen perch of 2-8-0 caught in the ASSI match by John Antrobus from peg 202.

Ian Simms reports a good net of roach, perch, gudgeon and ruffe from the Macclesfield Canal at Scholar Green.

Most of the roach were quality fish and took caster presented on the pole against the far bank towards the end of his afternoon session. Pinkie accounted for the rest of his catch.

The River Mersey level was lowered last week due to the Environment Agency's hydrology team carrying out necessary engineering works on their equipment. Water levels were back by Thursday but it obviously affected the results of the Sunday series match.

The desilting project on Ackers Pit is now under way and the project engineers have knocked out the ancient dam and almost completely drained the pits.

At last, after many years, I can hardly believe this vital work is actually happening.

A number of anglers have asked me what happened to the carp that we separated from the fish stocks, which we transferred to the Bridgewater Canal.

Well, it's no secret. They had to be humanely destroyed due to the fact that they had been exposed to the mystery virus, which killed carp throughout the River Weaver and interconnected canal system.

Their deaths were not in vain because they were used for scientific research in an endeavour to find the cause.

You should have received your new 2007 Warrington Anglers' Association membership booklet by now, so if you haven't please contact me immediately.

The 2006 membership is now invalid and members fishing from hereon must have first paid their 2007 subscription.

The working party this weekend is at The Mount fishery at Buckley, 9.30am start.

Let me have your catch reports on 01928 716238, fax 01928 713898 or e-mail frank@warrington-anglers.org.uk.

Our Parker Street headquarters will be open as usual tomorrow, Friday, between 7pm and 9.30pm for subscriptions and new members.

Results: Disabled and Over 60s: 1, Ray Bowden 5-2-0; 2, George Barber 3-10-0; 3, Dennis Greenhalgh 3-2-7; 4, Brian Aspinall 3-1-11. Mersey Series: 1, Lenny Dutton 5-13-9; 2, Ian Roberts 4-1-10; 3, Jim Byrne 2-112-4. Junior Winter Series (final match): 1, Jack Coker 2-0-0; 2, Jack Impey 1-12-7; 3, Mike Chung 1-12-0. Points overall: 1, Mike Chung 8pts; 2, Jake Fowles 17pts; 3, Jack Impey 21pts.

Forthcoming events: Saturday: Warrington Local Winter League (pegs 540 to 588). Sunday: Mersey Series (members only), draw 9am at Victoria Park. Monday: Disabled and Over 60s, draw 10am at Star Inn (pegs 480 to 520).