THE Essex Boys and Girls Club Summer Golf Classic was hosted for the 26th year by Gosfield Lake Golf Club.

The attendance at the charity event by celebrities from London and Essex many of whom were former members and recall the benefits of their own youth, football, boxing, cricket or social club and reflects the current success of the Essex Boys and Girls Club and the 143 affiliated clubs in the region.

The 18 teams and their celebrities teed off in glorious sunshine and while the sky clouded over and the temperature dropped, fortunately the rain stayed away.

Last year’s winning celebrity, Sir Trevor Brooking, could not repeat his success but with 37 points managed a creditable second place, closely pursued by Steve Davis, Dave Jessup, Barry Hearn and Dave Boy Green.

The best celebrity score was 39 stableford points by Doug Donaghey and Brooking agreed to present the awards to all the winners.

The captain’s team of Jeremy Paterson, Roger Bramwell, Malachy Shields and Johnny Kramer won the Frankie Vaughan Memorial Trophy for the best back nine.

Best individual score was by Ralph Rowe.

Nearest the pin on the eighth hole was won by Paul Brown and on the 17th by Alex Mead.

The Peter Doe Memorial Trophy for the longest drive on the first fairway was won by Mark Bryant.

The winners of the John Conteh Trophy for the best team score were the Boys from Gosfield, with Dave Turner, Barney DeBeer, Ralph Rowe and Hendrik Potgieter reaching 130 points.

They narrowly beat the runners-up from Abridge Developments - John Seabrook, Raj Sood, Johannes Trauttmansdorf and Mike Smith - by four points.