CHRIS Sutton has been crowned East Lancs singles champion after a mammouth two hour battle with Nigel Isherwood which will go down as one the best finals ever.

Sutton of East Lancs came from a set down and saw Isherwood miss the chance to win the game to clinch victory in three pulsating sets.

Isherwood was quickest into his stride and won the first set 6-4.

The Sunnyhurst player had chances to wrap up a straight sets victory but Sutton had other ideas and levelled the match after winning 7-5.

The final and decisive set proved to be even more exciting with both men finding the strength and stamina to hit winning shots.

With the set level at 8-8, Sutton made the vital breakthrough and took the set 10-8.

Sutton rounded off a memorable day by successfully defending his doubles title with Graham Clarke when they beat John Phethean and Dave Chapman of Parkwood 6-3 6-4.

The Parkwood pair put up a good show but Sutton and his former East Lancs team-mate Clarke were in no mood to give up their title. The ladies doubles was an all-Blackburn Northern affair with experience telling as Linda Huntingdon and Aileen Hext beat Julie Marsden and Louise Blahuta 6-1 6-4. However, the mixed doubles final proved to be another tight affair and went to three sets.

In the mixed doubles, Blackburn Northern's Ian Broughton and Liz Maskell came from a set and 3-1 down to claw their way back to victory.

Burnley pair Ian Taylor and Vicki Judge won the first set 6-4 but Broughton and Maskell stormed back to win 4-6 6-4 6-0.