Newhaven's Matthew Barnes has become the first man to retain the East Sussex Snooker Championship.

In the final Barnes met Steve Crowley from Crowborough and got home by four frames to one including a new highest break in the championship.

Barnes took the first 57-28 before a break of 36 gave him the second 86-26.

An 88 break got him home in the third before Crowley replied with a flurry of breaks in the fourth to win 70-69 despite a Barnes 58.

Having awakened the sleeping tiger, Crowley found himself being chewed up in the fifth frame as Barnes knocked in a 134 break to win to nil.

In the semi final Crowley had beaten Brighton's Michael West 4-1. In an excellent first frame Crowley's 42 was enough to deny West 67-49 despite the Brighton man's 41.

Crowley went 2-0 up when a 31 gave him the second 76-44 and not even a West 40 was enough to give him the third as the Crowborough man got home 75-68.

West took the fourth 57-53. But Crowley bounced back when a break of 32 got him home 74-32 and into the final.

Barnes had enjoyed a semi final bye when Hastings man Mark Tilbury phoned in to apologise that personal reasons had kept away.

Durrington WMC A & B, Lancing Legion A & B, Broadwater A & B, Durrington Social A and Shoreham A will contest the first ever Worthing Summer League with the programme beginning on May 31 and finishing on August 30.

Hastings man James Loft, now playing out of O'Sullivans, Bexhill, won a Pro-am in Lewisham including a win over a main tour player.

In the final Loft got past Tom Masturga 3-2. After falling behind early a second frame a 57 levelled it before a 65 in the fourth helped him level it again at 2-2. But the 17-year-old Loft had a little left in the tank and a 34 helped him take the decider.