TRIBUTES were this week paid to a Lochgelly man whose competitiveness made him a highly respected figure on the bowling green and pool table.

Alan Leishman, from Lumphinnans Road, died on October 10 after a long battle with cancer aged just 49, and such was the mark he made in these two sports he really loved playing, there were 250 people at his funeral held at Kirkcaldy Crematorium.

Alan held the distinction of winning the Cowdenbeath Bowling Club Championship in four successive seasons, 2013,2014, 2015 and 2016, the first time that this had been done in a century.

Born and brought up in Lochgelly Alan served his time as a brickie and worked for a spell in the construction industry before joining Fife Council Bereavement Services Department, where he specialised in the setting up and maintenance of head stones in the county's cemeteries.

Alan married Sandra and became a loving stepdad to Claire and Ian and grandad to Mirren.

Said Sandra: "Alan was a highly competitive individual and loved playing in the Lochgelly Pool League for a number of teams.

"He was a person who was determined to do his best no matter what and that saw him decide to take up bowls joining Lumphinnans Bowling Club and then Cowdenbeath."

He won several Lochgelly pool titles, then the Fife title in 2011, and on the bowling green he did very well at Lumphinnans before heading along the road to Bowling Green Street.

Cowdenbeath BC president, Lindsay Black, said: "Alan never seemed to know when he was beaten.

"There were more than a few important matches where he would be many shots off the pace but he just kept at it and would sneak home by a shot!"

He initially did not see himself as a major singles player but having been selected for the club's Top 13 team in the singles he discovered that he could be a pretty handy competitor.

His list of trophy wins started with the West Fife Scotscastle Triples, but it was in the singles at the club he was to made a huge impact.

He first won the title in 2013 and then repeated the feat not only the following year but also the next two successive years, the first time that had been done since around 1908.

Added Lindsay: "Very few people have successfully defended the the singles title so to win it four times in a row was a remarkable feat.

"His determination saw him through many a tough encounter and that four in a row performance will be tough to match in the modern era."

Sandra said that Alan was also keen on football, having been taken to East End Park as a youngster watch his uncle, Jim Leishman, now the Provost of Fife, play for Dunfermline Athletic, but away from sport he also loved going to see musicals and indeed was winner of the Times Theatre tickets competitions on a few occasions.

Alan twice beat cancer over a ten year spell but it returned this year, although he still managed to play some bowls during the summer.