MATT Tinworth is the leader of Stanford's ultra competitive series after the first stage of the competition at the Match Lake.

The open Junior Championship saw 11 competitors take part.

All the entrants were given bait and items of tackle presented by Alan Rumsby, director of fishing from competition sponsors Decathlon.

The competitors got off to a slow start due to a hard morning frost but eventually most anglers had landed some fish by the end of the competition.

It was then that 13-year-old junior member Matt Tinworth began to shine. He won impressively with a total weight of 17lb 14oz.

Tinworth was languishing in fourth place until the last hour when he landed three tench and a bream to take first place.

Mitchell Seaman, 14, was second with a bream and tench catch weighing 9lb 12oz. Jack Coombes, 13, took third place with a tench and roach catch of 7lb 15oz.

The youngest competitor, 10-year-old Charlie Tomlinson, fishing his first match and put in a creditable performance to take sixth place.

Prizes of a feeder rod, short pole and a landing net were presented by Decathlon to the first three places.

Leader board: 1 Matt Tinworth 26pts; 2 Mitchell Seaman 24pts; 3 Jack Coombes 23pts; 4 Josh Wright 22pts.

Round two will take place on Saturday, May 10.

l CARP are still coming out of the Square Lake with the best time in the afternoon due to heavy morning frosts.

Best of the bunch was regular day ticket Alan Wholas, who took his first 20-pounder with a nice common. Nice roach were taken by float anglers.

Gary Harrold had two nice fish from the Main Lake, a common weighing 17lb and a 21lb 6oz mirror.

Joan Dawson landed a 14lb mirror from the pylon swim, while day ticket holder Lee Cook had the best of the week with a 23lb 6oz mirror.

Roach to 1lb-plus are being caught off the North Bank, while tip anglers have been finding some nice bream.