BEWDLEY rowing club's senior four coxed eight crew grabbed an impressive victory at the Burton Head time trials on the River Trent.

The club had sent six crews to compete in the inaugural competition on Saturday, with two racing the longer winter race format for the first time and coping well with blustery winds and scattered showers.

The novice crew of Duncan Pratchett, Will Keen-Tomlinson, Dorian Hughes, Jeff Nielson, Richard Crowther, Steve Price, Jon Brooks, Jack Barker and cox Matt Thomas had not raced over a course longer than 750 metres before, but they showed what they are capable by setting the second fastest time of the day on the 3500m stretch of water.

The men's coxless four team of Matt Thomas, Craig Robinson, Simon Collingridge and Matt Collier also impressed by winning their event.