ISLE OF Wight-born lawn bowls star Lucy Beere sensationally won silver at the Commonwealth Games.

Representing Guernsey, Lucy came up against Australia's Ellen Ryan in the gold medal women's singles final at Victoria Park, Royal Leamington Spa, this evening (Monday).

On the way to the final, Lucy beat Ryan impressively in the group stages 21-11, but there was to be no repeat.

Lucy made history though, winning Guernsey's seventh-ever Commonwealth Games medal and their first in 28 years.

This was the fourth time Lucy had represented Guernsey at a Commonwealth Games — competing in 2010 in Delhi, 2014 in Glasgow and 2018 in the Gold Coast.

Holding back the tears after the final, Lucy said of her medal success: "Anybody who knows me, will know I'm not normally speechless — but I am now.

"Thank you to Guernsey for adopting me as one of their own. They've supported me all the way and I'm super, super proud."

Magnanimous in defeat, Lucy had nothing but praise for her opponent.

"Ellen said it with her bowls and is gracious in everything she does. I wish you so much for the future, because you are the future."

When asked about how would celebrate her medal success, Lucy joked: "Not a lot. I've got a doubles match at 8.30pm — but if anyone's got a little shot of something they want to fling my way....."

On the way to the gold medal match, Lucy enjoyed a 21-7 victory over Canada’s Jordan Kos and beat Kenya's Eunice Mbugwa 21-16, to top Group C.

After a nip-and-tuck last-eight encounter with Katelyn Inch of New Zealand (21-16), she then defeated Malaysia’s Siti Zalina Ahmad 21-15 to guarantee her at least a silver medal.

In a tight final, Lucy — who lives in Guernsey — led 16-12 in the latter stages and was full of confidence, but Ryan showed great character to pull it back to go on and win 21-17 after 24 high quality ends.

Lucy has been a world champion, winning the Indoor Bowls World Cup in Australia in 2018 and has won four European Championships gold medals in her career — the singles in Cyprus in 2009, followed by the pairs, mixed four and team, in Guernsey, in 2019.

The 40-year-old former world champion, who has lived in Guernsey for 15 years and has represented them since the move there, learned to play bowls with Newport, Shanklin and Cowes Medina bowling clubs.

Lucy is a former U25 World Pairs Championships winner in 2008 and learned to play bowls with Newport, Shanklin and Cowes Medina bowling clubs.

She blossomed into an England international star and had always dreamt of winning a Commonwealth Games medal — seeing it as the pinnacle of her sport.