The boys were relegated to Division 6 after two years in Division 5b while the girls won and lost matches in Group 6b, where they played fewer matches than normal due a team withdrawing late and another leaving early.

The boys were defeated in all their games, 5-4 by Wiltshire, 5-4 by Suffolk and 7-2 by Staffordshire. The girls received a 9-0 walkover against the Isle of Man and then lost 5-4 to both North Wales and Cornwall.

The match against Cornwall ended in controversy, however, when Cornwall, who were leading 5-1 after the singles matches, conceded all the doubles matches and then left the venue early to return home.

Girls’ team captain Karen Barnes said: ‘We complained to the match referee about what Cornwall did but he said there was nothing he could do because the match had been won.’