Brighton's Curtis Lambert, 16, won his first Frank Sandell Grand Prix event when he took the title in the Kevin Bushby Memorial Championship held at Worthing's New Central Club.

Lambert struggled through his first three matches all by two frames to one, but it could have all been so different when in his first match he was taken to a re-spotted black in the third frame by  Littlehampton's Stephen McCullough, 11.  Although a junior County pool player, McCullough has only stepped up to the much larger snooker tables in the last three months but his talent is already starting to show. McCullough was rewarded with a Hunters Inn performance award.

Lambert defeated reigning Grand Prix champion and number one seed James Dew, 16, 2-0 in the quarter-finals and Pulborough's Ben Dudman, also 16, by the same score-line in the semis. This was by far Dudman's best performance to date. In the final, Lambert faced Chichester's number two seed, Matthew Stadius, 17, who hadn't dropped a frame all day, but couldn't win one as Lambert prevailed 2-0. Stadius beat number three seed Dave Dunn, 15, in the semis.

In the Junior Handicap, Worthing's Jimmy Glockler came out on top from a last four dominated by Chichester players. Glockler, 12, defeated Joe Wells, 11, in the final. Both players defeated Wells' club-mates from Chichester in the semis. Glockler defeated Luke Stevens, 9, and Wells beat Luke Cotton, 8.

In the Senior Handicap, an excellent pink and black clearance by Worthing's Gary Campbell, 14, gave him the title by a couple of points from Chichester's Spencer Webb, 13. Semi-finalists were Harry Glockler, 15, elder brother of Jimmy and Stefan Chandler, 12, both members of the Worthing Intermediate Coaching Group.

The Best Performance awards, for players best demonstrating the motto of the Frank Sandell Coaching School - Friendship, Sportsmanship and Skill - went to McCullough as mentioned above and Worthing's Antonio Dichello, 11.

Money was collected throughout the day for the Chestnut Tree House Appeal and all Handicap entry fees went into the collecting pot. Perhaps the most sporting gesture of the day, which went unseen by virtually all competitors was that of beaten finalist Matthew Stadius, who, on leaving the club, put all his prize money for reaching the final into the collecting pot. A fantastic gesture by a 17-year-old.

On hand to watch the finals and present the trophies were Kath and Chris Bushby, parents of Kevin Bushby for whom the tournament was dedicated to.

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