Norma Shaw, who died on 10 June, 2009, aged 72, was widely considered to be England's finest female bowls player.

She was World Outdoor Champion in 1981 and World Indoor Champion in 1997, English Indoor Champion six times and had a total of 26 national titles to her name.

She also played team bowls for the Norton (formerly Teesside) club and England. In 1985 she was made an MBE for her services to the sport.

Born on June 8, 1937 in Yorkshire, she originally played crown green bowls but it was not until moving to the North East in the 1960s and trying the flat green game that her enthusiasm for the game took off.

She won her first title in 1976 and was still going strong 33 years later. She was praised for her calmness under pressure which helped her win many difficult matches.

She died two days after her 72nd birthday and had been playing bowls the day before in a Teesside ladies pairs league game.

She was predeceased by her husband, Dennis. She had no children.

A few weeks earlier she had told a local newspaper: “Bowls has been marvellous. It has allowed me to travel not only in this country but all over the world.”

Her life-long friend and international bowling companion Joyce Jones said: "We have bowled together since 1972. We played on Tuesday [9 June] and we had a really happy time. It is something good to remember. She will be missed worldwide in bowling."