GREEN bowling ace Janice Maxwell has been crowned champion at her home club - for the 25th time.

She has won a championship in all of the last five decades at Castle Douglas bowling club in what is thought to be a record in the green bowling world.

Mrs Maxwell took up the sport in 1976 and won her first club title in 1978. Since then she has gone from strength to strength, bowling locally, nationally and internationally.

She has represented Scotland world wide and picked up a bronze medal at the Canada Commonwealth Games in 1994. She said: "I've really enjoyed the sport but never thought I would be champion 25 times at my own club or travel the world. I'm very pleased to win the title again this year at Castle Douglas, and to win championships in all of the last five decades is something I never dreamed of."

Mrs Maxwell represented ­Scotland internationally from 1986 to 1997 and won the Scottish singles title in 1986.

She has many open competition wins to her credit and has won the South of Scotland women's singles title 10 times.