RONNIE O’SULLIVAN hit a maximum 147 break - the 13th of his stellar career - as he crushed Matthew Selt 6-0 to reach the last eight of the UK Snooker Championship.

The Rocket closed out the match with snooker’s perfect frame - 15 reds, 15 blacks and all the colours - to send a packed York Barbican into raptures.

O’Sullivan, who turns 39 tomorrow, was in electric form after the interval of his last 16 clash and could have had a maximum in the fifth frame but missed the black on 89.

But the balls were spread much better in the following frame and he completed the wonderful task in ten minutes and 28 seconds.

It could land O’Sullivan £44,000 - a £40,000 rolling prize for a 147 and £4,000 for the highest break - if the feat is not equalled in the remainder of the tournament.

Play on the other table, between Stephen Maguire and David Morris halted, as referee Jan Verhaas counted the score and O’Sullivan wrote yet another glorious moment in the story of his career.

There was a heart-stopping moment as the final blue to the middle pocket wobbled in the jaws and only just dropped but, from there, there was nothing to stop the greatest player in the game making the 109th professional maximum in snooker history.

O’Sullivan said: “The ending was a great ending. They excite you. They definitely get the adrenalin going. They are nice. I already had the record - at 12 - and I just thought someone would have to go some to beat that.

“It’s always nice to add to it and make it a little bit more difficult for someone to reach. The motivation to get them is not as high as it used to be but they are still nice to get.

“I knew somewhere, in the back of my mind, that the rollover was mounting up so I thought it was worth getting the max because unless it’s over £40,000 you won’t be getting a max out of me. You won’t be getting them cheap.”

He added: “It’s great because those feelings are fantastic and, it's lucky really, that I am able to play to such a level and perform like that.

“I don’t think there are many sportspeople, or people, who have that feeling in their job so, for me, I feel extra lucky and special that I am able to create great moments and give people something.

“They will go home and feel like they want to watch another snooker game. I feel like I have done my job to make people come and want to watch snooker.

“I was shaking like a leaf - that blue that just about went in - and on the pink I was shaking. On the black, I kind of celebrated before it because I thought I can’t really miss that.

“Then I thought ‘Ken Doherty missed one once’ and ‘don’t make yourself look stupid’. I was just pumped up and the adrenalin is flowing so you do silly things.”

On his foiled attempt in the previous frame, O’Sullivan added: “I had a red by the green and a red by the cushion so I didn’t expect it. When I missed the black, I thought it would have been nice to get the maximum with those two reds there.

“That would have been extra special in a way because it was really odds against - a bit like the last red against Ding Junhui in the Welsh final where I potted it left handed and got on the black.

“I was a bit disappointed that I didn’t give the black much care - because I didn’t think I was going to make one - but afterwards I thought ‘It would have been nice to really give it a go’.

“The balls were all right in the last so I gave it a go and got it.”

Selt, who said he was unable to settle during the match, said: “I am more happy than he is that he made that 147. It was a great experience. I had the best seat in the house to watch and, sitting in my chair, when he has gone up for the yellow - I could barely sit down. I was shaking that much for him.

“I am delighted he has made it.”