He clinched victory at the weekend by beating Ross' Dave Andrews in a gripping final.

The match required an extra end to determine the winner.

Following some late withdrawals, 33 competitors gathered at Leominster Indoor Bowling Centre on the morning of Sunday, October 18.

They were divided into seven groups of four, and one group of five, competing in a round-robin format.

The top two from each group advanced to the last 16 and the afternoon knockouts.

By the quarter-final stage, eight players from three different clubs remained.

These included two former champions, Mills and defending champion Joe Loveys.

The final was streamed live on the HSMBA Facebook page, with Mills and Andrews putting on a thrilling show.

The scores were level at 4-4 after eight ends, with neither player able to score more than a single on any end they won.

Andrews secured a crucial two on the ninth end, putting the title within his grasp.

However, Mills executed a perfect shot, taking two and forcing an extra end.

With momentum on his side, Mills seized the win.

A spokesman for the event said: "Congratulations to John on a fantastic victory, and to Dave Andrews on another superb run to the final.

"Given the quality of his performances, it surely feels like a matter of when, rather than if, Dave will eventually see his name on the winning side of the honours board."