CANTERBURY'S rugby teams lifted the two top trophies at the club's Spitfire Sevens tournament.

Records melted in the sunshine as the Canterbury 1st team, in a repeat of last season's final, edged out London invitation side Skyrunners to win the Hallwood Shield for a fourth consecutive year - a unique achievement in the competition's 39-year history.

Before taking the field, they were able to watch the club's second string win the Kentish Gazette Plate with an emphatic 31-12 victory over East Kent rivals Thanet Wanderers.

In front of a record crowd, and with Faversham brewers Shepherd Neame as main sponsors for the first time, teams competed for the richest prizes ever offered.

In a hugely successful event, supported by Lea-Ray Sports, Canterbury Clothing Company of New Zealand, the Kentish Gazette, KMfm106 radio and Gilbert Sports, the city club's double success allowed them to earn £2,000 of the £4,000 prize money. The cheques will help the kit budget of the Canterbury junior section.

Just where the £1,500 top prize would end up remained in doubt until the closing seconds of a tense final in which Canterbury had to stage a tremendous second half revival to snatch victory.

Both finalists won their respective groups with comfort, then stepped up their performance to dominate the semi-finals. Canterbury eased past Banbury Bulls by 19-7 while Skyrunners saw off Withem's Elves with a 33-7 victory.

The Londoners scented more glory in the final, too, when they ran up a 14-point half-time lead through two converted tries. But Canterbury fought back and their winning try came from Ken Aseme as space opened up on the left and the long striding forward outstripped the cover to take them into a 17-14 lead.

His influence was required again to rescue that hard earned advantage. Skyrunners made a final attack and seemed certain to achieve the decisive score when Aseme hurled in to make a cover tackle of some quality. It was all over.

Canterbury squad: Weigh (captain), Pratt, Stewart, Bingham, Littlechild, Aseme, Keir, Payne, Bernthal, Benjamin.