England has won the European Senior Ladies' Team Championship at BlackSeaRama Golf & Villas, Bulgaria.
The English team finished third in the stroke play qualifying phase to set up a quarter-final match with France.
In a very close encounter that came down to the final match on the 18th hole, England came out 3-2 winners to progress to the semi-finals where they faced Ireland.
Despite the foursomes match going to extra holes, and the Irish team winning the last singles match, England won the first three singles 2&1 to score an unassailable three points and book their championship berth, where they would face Spain.
In the final, the English team got off to a fast start, going up in four of the five matches after nine holes.
England put the first point on the board with an early 4&3 win from Paula Carver, her third victory of the tournament. A second point closely followed with a 2&1 victory in the foursomes match, leaving England within just one point of their second European Senior Ladies' Team Championship title.
Macarena Campomanes, the reigning European Senior Ladies' Champion, was two holes down to Helen Lowe after nine holes but turned things around, winning 1up on the 18th green to put the Spanish team on the board, and keep their hopes of a first European Senior Team Championship title alive.
It wouldn't be enough however, as Aileen Greenfield claimed her third win of the week, and the decisive point for England, with a 2&1 victory on the 17th green.
"Team spirit was the secret this week. Everyone got on well on and off the course, we all just jelled so well. Everyone came into the tournament playing well and we just kept it going" said England captain, Debbie Richards.
"When you get to the last eight, anyone can win. The talent and the golf is amazing, it's like watching lady-pros play. It proves how much talent there is in ladies golf at the moment, and we're only amateurs."
In the match for third place, Ireland took on top stroke play qualifiers, and last year's runners-up, Sweden.
The Irish team always looked in control on the final day, and despite the foursomes match going into extra holes, won all four of the singles matches to claim the bronze medals.
The full results from all matches can be found on the championship webpage here.