PROFESSIONAL players including champion Clint I'Anson will be in town for the St Helens Open Pool Championships.

The fifth staging of the annual event is being held at Scala Snooker and Pool Centre on Ormskirk Street in the town centre takes place this week.

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The event has sold out with 168 players, from across the country, competing with some professionals among the field.

There is a team competition and a knockout singles competition, with £2,500 prize money on offer for the team event.

A plate event is also held for teams who do not progress from the group stages.

The tournament will be held from Friday, January 24 to Sunday 26.

It can be viewed via Tsunami live streaming on Facebook Live or YouTube on Saturday and Sunday.

Renowned pool champion Clint I'Anson has won the tournament for the past three years running.

Also among professionals entering are Gareth Hibbott, who, among his honours list has the World Singles Championship,World Doubles and World Seniors.

St Helens Star:

Last year's team winners Sun Valley

"There are players who have recently been on FreeSports who have literally in the past month been in massive events live on TV," said events organiser at Scala Tony Brown.

"This year we've got nearly 20 teams coming from places including the Isle of Man, Nottingham, Derbyshire

"There's a lot of money, we pay out £7,500."