Bradford's Mark Hirst is to become a billiards professional in February. The 35-year-old will not be relying on the sport's five professional tournaments for his sole income, however.

Hirst, who has paid £250 to the World Professional Billiards and Snooker Association (£100 joining fee plus £150 annual subscription), will still work as an Inland Revenue officer in Shipley.

He said: "Having won the Bradford Billiards Championships for the last three years and the Yorkshire crown in three of the last four seasons, I needed a new challenge, and this is it.

"I will miss the first two tournaments of the season - the World Championships has already taken place and there is a tournament in Middlesbrough coming up.

"And I have been given one of the two amateur wild cards for the UK Championships later this month at the Hospitality Inn in Harrogate - Burley-in-Wharfedale's Steve Crosland has got the other - so I will only be a professional for the last two tournaments in Liverpool and Bath.

"I will still be able to continue my job at Shipley though as they are fairly flexible about these things, and it only involves me taking a maximum of five weeks off.

"And if and when I am knocked out I can come straight back to work."

Bradford Bulls fan Hirst added: "I was turning professional in 1990, but then was picked to play for England in the Home Internationals and decided to remain amateur."

Hirst, who was absent from Bradford's last match in the Yorkshire Inter-District League, has been recalled to the team for their match at the Manhattan Snooker Club, Harrogate on Saturday (7.30).

He replaces the unavailable Richard Lodge, but the snooker team is unchanged.

Hirst continued: "We have a very strong billiards team, so I decided to miss the last match to let Paul Devitt have a go - he was Bradford runner-up last season after all - and there is not much point in him being reserve most of the time if I am turning professional."

Bradford teams - Billiards: Paul Devitt, Alan Firth, Mark Hirst. Snooker: Wayne Cooper, Kevin Firth, Matthew Holt. Reserve: Howard Mawson.

l Bradford Snooker Championship - First round: Bernard McLoughlin (Laisterdyke WMC) 4, Jimmy Fisher (Cuedos) 3.

First round matches in this event and the Bradford Snooker Pairs Championships to be completed by this weekend.

l The eight first round first leg matches in the John Smith's Heys Trophy Team Snooker Tournament will be played tonight, with the second legs next Thursday.

The winners and the 56 byes will play their second round ties next month.

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