NETBALL stars gathered for a celebration of the sport in the county at the 45th South & West Dorset Netball League presentation evening.

Dorchester Trinity Club hosted the event with more than 130 legends of the league attending.

The event was considered a huge success and an empowering night of women celebrating women.

On the night, Belle Construction claimed two trophies winning the summer and winter Premier Division titles ahead of respective runners-up Veterans Hub and Corfe Crusaders.

READ MORE: South & West Dorset League winter season - week two round-up

In Division One, Warmer Home Improvements A and Artifex Griffins were the summer and winter champions, with Gungho Marketing and Coastal Cheese taking second.

Exe Training and WJNC Wildcats claimed the Division Two honours in summer and winter respectively, beating Joe Newton Electrical and Warmer Home Improvements B into second.

Linzi Gardner was awarded the Kelly Browne Umpire of the Year accolade, while Louise Bugler beat Karen Jones to the Premier umpire trophy.

Ali Holmes won the Division One umpire award ahead of Chantelle Halloran, with Gardner also claiming the Division Two spoils ahead of Lea Holmes.

Taking home the Sue Barras award for most improved team was The Veterans Hub, while Belle Construction earned the Denise Camp award for fair play and good conduct.

There was also a lovely moment for Candice Barton, who was handed the Louise Beals award for services to netball.

Moving into the individual awards, Lauren Osgood of McCarthy Stone won the overall Umpires’ Player of the Year after claiming the Premier Division award for both the summer and winter seasons.

In the winter, Laura Osborne, Jayne Guppy and Kirsty Winning were the Premier runners-up to Osgood, with Becky Hallett second-placed in summer.

Becky Hallett won the umpires’ Division One summer honours and Maraia Ratulailai the winter gong ahead of Molly Shewbridge and Halloran respectively.

Meegan Ling and Amelia Guppy were first and second in Division Two’s summer selection, while Ratulailai beat Sarah Bryant to the winter prize.

Overall winner of the players’ player of the year was a split decision between summer Premier Division winner Becky Hallett and winter Premier victor Jodie Howell.

Howell was named runner-up for the summer, with Osgood second in the winter.

Bex Hedditch claimed two trophies by winning Division Two summer players’ player, in a joint award with Ling, and then netting the Division One winter players’ player award.

Ling was also jointly handed the winter Division Two players’ player with Bryant, while Ratulailai was named Division One winter players’ player ahead of Mailia Brown.

The evening included a wonderful presentation of the awards as well as a raffle plus lots of dancing and laughter.

Additional special awards were presented to Louise Bugler in recognition of her work as chairwoman for 12 years between 2011 and 2023.

There was also the presentation of a 'Services to Umpiring' award to Kelly Browne for her many years of commitment to developing and supporting umpiring in the league.

Lastly, the raffle raised £638 and will be donated equally between Weldmar Hospicecare and C'Siders local Cancer Support Group.