Mark Royal and Matt Flatman open the quarter-final stages of the men's singles at Great Yarmouth Festival of Bowls today.

Royal was a 21-9 winner over Bob Allen from West Norfolk in the Great Yarmouth Borough Council-sponsored competition and then beat Geoff Ramsbottom from Lowestoft Railway 21-19. Flatman beat Mark Turner 21-14 and Phil Parsons from York 21-19.

Last year's winner Peter Wilkinson beat Diddy Smith 21-19 in a game which lasted 28 ends and will face Ricky Summers. The third quarter-final sees Wayne Willgress against Mick Topping from Thurlton BC while Jim Malcolm from Bradwell takes on Andy Hailes from the Metalbox Club in Wisbech.

The semi-finals of the Eastern Daily Press-sponsored ladies triples will see V Cockrill, M Haylett and G Reeve play S Tolliday, G Burke and M Hunt while A Barker, C Turner and J Tyres face S Davis, S Crysell and S Hardingham.