TWELVE Gloucestershire skittles teams are competing at this year’s Butcombe British Skittles Championships on Saturday (September 20).

They include last year's semi finalists in the ladies' competition, the Cotswold Wags from Bilbury, while the Drillmans Arms in Cirencester will be hoping to better their first round knock-out in the finals of the Men's event in 2013.

In the mixed competition, there’s a very strong local contingent, including 10cc from Bilbury who were champions in 2007.

Butcombe Brewery, based at Wrington in North Somerset, are the new sponsors of the national competition.

Managing director Guy Newell, congratulated the 64 teams who have now made it to the grand finals in Torquay.

"Everyone at Butcombe Brewery congratulates the qualifiers for their skill, hard work and determination. There have been some epic battles, some shocks and surprises along the way but the team spirit has been fantastic. "Skittlers are a great bunch of people and we are proud to be sponsors of this event and what promises to be an incredible finals day."

This year’s competition, organised by Shoot Out Club of Torquay, has attracted 150 teams, who embarked on a series of regional rounds. The final 64 will be battling it out at Torquay’s Riviera International Conference Centre on Saturday.

Shoot Out Club’s Rachel Bourke said: "There are several skittles records at stake. We are hoping to set a world record for the largest number of skittlers in a competition.

"Plus we could see the first team ever to win four British championship titles, and the first team to win three consecutive titles.

"There could be a lot of skittles history in the making."