The final EABA English Junior Ranking Event of the season last weekend proves that English Billiards amongst youngsters is taking a healthy step in the right direction.

A record number of players competed at Hartlepool Snooker Centre, a total of 52 in all, many of them products of the Hartlepool Junior Coaching School, operational now for just over two years. All eyes during the day however were not on the top two ranked players, Steven Kerr from Newmarket, or Darren Cook from Hartlepool, but they were firmly fixed on the sprightly little six year old that took the venue by storm.

6-Year-Old Ryan Glenn

Ryan Glenn, from Billingham in Cleveland, became the youngest ever entrant into a National Junior Billiards Event, and he loved every minute of it. He certainly wasn't there to make up the numbers, defeating 11 year old Jonathan Lines 149-99, and then 13 year old David Chester (both Hartlepool), 141-109 in the one hour games.

The youngster finally bowed out in the last 16, losing 166-72 to Cheshire's Lee Dutton, nearly twice the height of his pint-sized opponent.

Ryan certainly wasn't fazed playing against the big lads, and announced to everyone before his games that he was "gunna win this one", before abandoning the customary handshake for a more appropriate greeting of a high five!

The event was eventually won by Cook, who defeated Kerr 349-234 in the final, the pair having clashed in the final of three events out of six this season.