PLAY was suspended at the UK Snooker Championships this afternoon after a member of the crowd was taken ill at York Barbican.

An elderly gentleman fell ill on the table two side of the venue around 2pm.

The first-round matches between John Higgins and Guoqiang He and Judd Trump and Neil Robertson were paused, with play getting back underway 15 minutes later.

Spectators were ushered out of the arena whilst medical care was administered.

In a statement on X, the World Snooker Tour said: “Play has been suspended as a member of the crowd has been taken ill.”

According to reports, the man was conscious and talking to paramedics.

It is not the first time that play has been suspended at the UK Championships over recent years, with a spectator stretchered from the crowd at last year’s event.