Southbourne's Matthew Redfern, 17, won his first Frank Sandell Grand Prix title after nine years in the series at the Grate Fireplaces Challenge held at Worthing's New Central Club.

In the absence of Bexhill's top seed Jimmy Robertson, who has recently been elevated to the England junior team,  the tournament was undoubtedly the most open in the last ten years of the series. Redfern was the player who made the most of this opportunity and completed his maiden victory by defeating Chichester's Dave Dunn, 14, two frames to one. Dunn performed tremendously well to reach the final in his first season in the Roundstone Car Centre Grand Prix series. Redfern now tops the Grand Prix Rankings.

Redfern reached the final with the loss of only one frame - in his fourth round victory over Worthing's Luke Karchewski. Chichester's Matthew Stadius, 16 was despatched in the last 16 and Redfern then ended the run of 10-year-old Chi Keung Tsang in the quarter-finals. Tsang received a Hunters Inn Performance Award for reaching the last eight for the first time in his short but highly productive career. Standing between Redfern and the final was East Grinstead's James Dew, 15, who had also reached uncharted territory in reaching the semi-finals. Redfern emerged the 2-0 winner.

In the other half of the draw, Dunn appeared to be the form player of the day, reaching the final without dropping a frame. In the last four, Dunn halted the fine run of Peter Atkinson, 15, from Worthing who was unseeded but had defeated four seeds to reach the semis. Atkinson received the second of the Hunters Inn Performance Awards.

The two Handicap events saw the host club providing three of the four finalists. In the Junior section, 10 year-old James Murdoch defeated Lancing's Ashley Arain, 11. The senior section was won by David Trounce, 15 who beat Amy Shipley, 16.

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