So no more progress for Willgress, who had sent the home crowd at the Potters Leisure Resort into a frenzy with his previous round victory over world number Greg Harlow.

A 6-3, 11-4 won for the 39-year-old Taunton bowler earned him a place in tomorrow’s singles final against fellow Englishman Mark Dawes, who beat Scotland’s Darren Burnett 8-7, 10-5 in the first semi-final.

It will mean a new winner for the event – Dawes has not earned a medal in the singles, although he won this year’s men’s pairs event with Jamie Chestney.

Paxton, winner of the men’s pairs and mixed pairs in 2015, achieved his best individual result here in 2016, when he took the silver medal. 

Willgress, whose partner Rebecca Field took silver in the women’s singles final, made his more experienced opponent work hard for the first set but the second drifted away from him before Paxton sealed it with two triples.

Dawes, who only broke into the top 16 two years ago, produced a surprise result in defeating Burnett, ranked world number nine. 

After losing the first set by a single bowl, Burnett was clearly struggling with what appeared to be a back problem.

He nevertheless took the first two ends with singles before going 7-2 down, only to rally with a count of three to cut the deficit.

But Dawes finished things off in the eighth end.

Ireland’s Chloe Watson won the under-25’s title by default after her opponent in the final, Australia’s Ellen Ryan, the defending champion, had to withdraw after losing the first set 15-1 because she was suffering with flu.

Ryan, who had edged through her semi-final against England's Connor Cinato earlier in the day by 9-8, 8-7, had agreed to try and play through but was obliged to call the rink official after the first set to say she was unable to continue.

Watson had come through her semi-final 2-0 on a tie-break against Scotland's Chris Carswell after winning the first end 9-6 and then losing the second 8-7.