Welsh Open snooker SUSPENDED as BBC live broadcast cuts away due to emergency

The Welsh Open snooker tournament had to be suspended after a medical emergency in the crowd at the Venue Cymru in Llandudno.

Mark Selby was taking on John Higgins in the quarter-final when the match had to be stopped, with BBC quickly cutting away from the broadcast.

Selby pulled out of a shot after hearing a disturbance in the crowd, before spotting the seriousness of the incident and quickly alerting referee Marcel Eckardt.

After medical assistance was called upon, the BBC cut away from the live broadcast into a wider shot of the arena as a clearly concerned Selby went back to his seat.

Image: BBC

Commentator Dennis Taylor said: "Someone maybe is just a little bit unwell, and we hope they are alright.

"We may need just a little bit of time here while this is sorted out."

Several members of medical staff could be seen among the affected area of the crowd, which had been cleared of other spectators.

World Snooker released a statement at 2:13pm which simply read: "A spectator has been taken ill in the crowd. Play will resume at 2:15pm."

The score was 2-1 at the time of the stoppage - which lasted around 14 minutes - with Higgins going on to win the fourth frame to level at 2-2.

At 2:55pm, World Snooker released a further statement to confirm that the spectator in question 'is OK and recovering'.

Selby and Higgins are two of the three highest-ranked players through to the quarter-finals of the Welsh Open, with Luca Brecel the only other member of the top 16 to make it through to the last eight.

Home favourite Jackson Page will take on 2023 world champion Brecel on Friday afternoon, with Ali Carter versus Joe O'Connor, and Jack Lisowski versus Stephen Maguire, due to take place in the evening in Llandudno.