STONE-SKIMMING dab hands gathered to Cumbria's most iconic body of water to take part in the All England Open Stone Championships on Saturday.

Spectators and fellow competitors, gathered at Feel Foot Park, Windermere, were left stunned when defending champion – 22-year-old Alex Lewis from Helensburgh in Scotland – stepped up to skim an incredible 98 metres.

Mr Lewis' record smashed the championship record of 95 metres, which he himself set last year.

Julius Barratt of South Cumbria Rivers Trust, said: “We were delighted that this resulted in another record skim this year.

"The All England record has tumbled for three consecutive years now, with 88 metres thrown by Gareth Twamley in 2017, which was broken by Alex Lewis with his 95-metre skim last year and now exceeded again by Alex’s feat in breaking his own record by three metres.

Mr Lewis, property developer from Helensburgh, said: “The 98-metre skim was a good one, but it tailed off at the end, just when I was hoping to make it a Centurion skim.

"I’m pleased with it though and delighted to have set another record.”

Super-stardom could await Alex, whose dream is to set up a new event on a course that will allow skimmers to go way beyond the 100-metre mark.