BLACKBURN Northern clinched the Slazenger East Lancashire Tennis League mixed doubles title for the first time in six years with a convincing win against Sunnyhurst A.

It was back in 1996 that Northern last lifted the trophy but the long wait was over after a three rubbers to one victory at Parkwood Tennis Club in Haslingden.

The winning team included Robert Hempsall, Liam Searson, Jan Sutcliffe and Michelle Watts.

Top seeds Hempsall and Watts got off to a winning start when they beat Sunnyhurst number one pair Nigel Isherwood and Janet Dagleish.

It turned out to be the most important rubber of the final, going all the way to three sets before Hempsall and Watts came from behind to win 4-6, 6-4, 6-3.

Searson and Sutcliffe gave Northern a crucial two rubber lead after the first round of matches with a straight sets win against John Bracewell and Edwina Forrest, winning 6-3, 6-2.

And victory was clinched soon after when Hempsall and Watts beat Bracewell and Forrest 6-4, 6-2 to give Northern an unassailable 3-0 victory. However, Isherwood and Dagleish prevented a whitewash in the best of four rubbers final after beating Searson and Sutcliffe 6-2, 7-6.

It was something of an upset after Northern had finished in sixth place in the mixed doubles league while Sunnyhurst A finished in third place.

However, Northern were boosted by the return of Searson and Hempsall who has moved back to the area from Milton Keynes.

Hempsall said: "I suppose it was something of an upset when you consider our final league placings but we were lucky enough to put out a strong team.

"It was a very good team performance and we deserved the victory."

Since Blackburn Northern last lifted the trophy, Burnley dominated the competition for four years before Parkwood broke that stranglehold after winning the event last season.

Blackburn Northern...3 Sunnyhurst A...1