NEW Forest’s quartet secured a top-three finish in their first English National Veterans’ Championship at Harrow.

Making up the team were Tony Giordana (Hamworthy), Colin Clark (Flight Refuelling), Steve Maidment and Chris Chubb (Bournemouth North Rotary).

The novices beat Kent, Isle of Wight, Chiltern and East Midlands.

They were knocked out in the semis by Nottingham, before beating London in the third-place play-off.

The local team will now represent the English Petanque Association in an invitational tournament in Normandy, France in September.