PICKERING snooker professional Paul Davison earned himself a £250 bonus by making the joint highest break of the tournament as he reached the last eight in the UK Open Tour event at Stockport.

Davison made a 139 break in the last frame of his 4-0 win over Benson and Hedges champion Ryan Day. He shares the highest break cash with Icelander Kristjan Helgason.

By getting to the quarter-finals the Filey Snooker Club player picked up a cheque for £500.

After a bye in the first round and a walkover in the second round when his opponent failed to show, Davison knocked out Lancastrian Michael Ward 4-2 before beating Day.

"I won the first two frames against Ryan Day on pink and black, but I won the next two easily, with a 139 in the last one," said Davison.

He then beat Dave McDonnell 4-2 to go into the last eight, where he was beaten 5-3 by Mark Gray, who made a 136 break.

"I was playing well all weekend," said Davison. "It made all the difference knowing that there was nothing at stake as far as I was concerned. The Main Tour season is over so I didn't have any pressure on me and I was able to enjoy playing.

"I still played seriously, but not having any pressure made a big difference."

In the semi-finals Gray beat Midlander Shaun Murphy, who plays seven times world champion Stephen Hendry in the first round of the Embassy World Championship at Sheffield later this month. In the Stockport final Gray lost to Mansfield's Lee Spick.

Although Davison will not known officially until after the World Championship if he has kept his place on snooker's Main Tour for next season, but he is sure that he has.

He has two more events left this season, the English Open final at King's Lynn on May 11 and finally the Pontin's tournament at Prestatyn later next month.

Updated: 12:11 Wednesday, April 17, 2002