Nicky Brett said he was “over the moon” after winning his first ever indoor bowls World Championships title – and so wasn’t too disappointed to go out of the singles competition at the last 16 stage to former champion Mervyn King.

Brett, who plays his outdoor bowls for Warboys, partnered the former world champion Greg Harlow to the doubles title at the Just Retirement World Indoor Championships at Potters Leisure resort in Norfolk on Monday. Talking to The Hunts Post, the 39-year-old said: “I don’t think it gets any better than a world title.

“It’s not arrogance but we thought we had a chance and because Greg and I have played together for club and country. I am over the moon.”

In the final, the pair, who both play their indoor bowls for City of Ely, faced formidable opponents in the defending title holders Paul Foster and Alex Marshall – but beat them 13-4, 7-7 in a game that was televised live by the BBC.

Yesterday, the Yaxley-based bowler, who is well known to the Huntingdonshire bowling fraternity, turned his attention to the singles but went out to King in an exciting match of quality and uncompromising and aggressive bowls.

“You are probably in with a sneaky bit of a chance just by being here,” said Brett earlier in the day and the new world number two took one of the sport’s most famous names right down to the wire.

But a final fantastic bowl from King in a tie-break was too much for Brett to better and he was happy to concede.

“I can’t be too disappointed with the way I played,” he told the BBC. “Mervyn played a bomb in the tie-break.”