Bradford's Simon Bedford came within days of quitting the sport in the summer - but now he's glad he didn't.

The 25-year-old left-hander, relegated from the main tour last season, has made a good start in his bid to regain his berth among the elite.

Fairweather Green-based Bedford reached the semi-finals of the Challenge Tour Event One in Harrogate last weekend.

"That puts me in a strong position - as long as I don't lose in the first round of the other four tournaments," he said.

It's all very different from just a few months ago when the former Crucible qualifier was talking of packing it all in.

"I didn't send my entry forms in for this season until the last available week", admitted the Cuedos member.

"But I don't think my family and friends would have let me pack in anyway after the article in the T&A which said I was considering it. Now I am down at the club every day, putting in six, seven, eight and nine-hours practice, and it is paying off."

Bedford had a tricky start to his Challenge Tour event at the Manhattan Club in Harrogate, defeating Steve Harrison 4-3, the deciding frame needing a re-rack.

"That hasn't happened to me before in a final frame," said Bedford. "I got Steve in a snooker and he rolled into the reds around the black pocket.

"But there were also some reds in baulk, so we couldn't play safe, and after we had played about five shots each we decided to have a re-rack."

Bedford went on to beat England international Michael Wild (Oldham) 5-2, Grant Conquest (Witney) 5-2 and then, in the quarter-finals, Londoner Mehmet Husnu 5-0.

Talking about the Husnu match, Bedford said: "That's the best I have played in a long time because I rate him - he's a good player. I just didn't miss - every time I got a chance, I made a match-winning frame."

Bedford played in the first Open Tour event in Leicester last month, but revealed: "I didn't enjoy it so I haven't bothered entering the next two in Glasgow and Swindon either side of New Year."

Not playing in these events will have no impact on his Challenge Tour chances, however, as they are run separately.

Bedford's next tournament is one of his favourites - the Benson & Hedges Championship at the Towers Snooker Centre in Mansfield on November 4 to 15.

He was runner-up two years ago to Ali Carter when it was played at Malvern, Carter's win put him into the Benson & Hedges Masters.

Bedford has a first-round bye in the tournament open to all those outside the world's top 16. Also entered in a field of 211 are Bedford's clubmates Jason Prince and James Wattana - exempt to round three - Clubhouse In Cue Gardens member Craig Butler and Leeds quartet Peter Lines, Malcolm Bilclough, Steve Prest and Anthony Massey.