Cambridge University professor is world tiddlywinks champion

Defeated Lockwood, 73, said he had undergone surgery for a bleed on his brain earlier this year and that while he was “at least 99% if not 100% recovered”, he would “probably greatly reduce my winking activity after 56 years of doing it after this series of matches”.

He added: “I have been the best in the world in the past and I can’t quite match the level of skill and consistency that the best players can, so I think it’s a good time for me to emphasise some other parts — grandchildren and maybe some more travel.”

Lockwood said of his opponent: “I give all congratulations to Patrick. He’s possibly the best player of all time and I’m glad I gave him a challenge, a good battle.”

The championship match umpire, Harley Jones, chairman of the English Tiddlywinks Association, said the game was “like chess, if you could miss” and Thursday’s game was “really nail-biting”.

He said there were just two national singles championships, the English and the American, and there were “about 120 people in the world ratings which is the number of people who’ve played in a tournament in the last year”.

Triumphant Barrie described Lockwood as “a formidable opponent”, adding: “I had to do my best to make sure it wasn’t his day.”

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