John Higgins’ Welsh Open match with Bulcsu Revesz was unusually stopped after the Hungarian star received an instruction not to harm an insect that had landed on the snooker table. The four-time world champion was locked in a thrilling last-32 encounter with the 19-year-old rising star, with the Wizard of Wishaw securing a 4-3 victory at the Welsh Open.

However, with Revesz holding a 2-1 advantage, play was interrupted after Revesz noticed an insect on the table. As the teenager prepared for his next shot in Llandudno, he discovered the creature obstructing his path. The insect was collected by the player, who asked the referee, “What should I do with it?”

The referee replied: “Just leave it somewhere, don’t kill him.”

Revesz deposited the intruder onto the floor before proceeding with his shot, with Higgins mounting a comeback in the encounter.

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This was not the only disturbance at the Welsh Open, however, as Neil Robertson was put off during his meeting with Hossein Vafaei by a spectator.

The fan’s mobile phone rang out just as the Aussie was about to take a shot, which he subsequently missed as a result. Robertson did come through as a 4-1 victor.

Higgins did so too, having gone to a deciding frame where Higgins sank the final red before progressing to the brown.

He dispatched that off the cushion and cleared up to the pink to seal the match.

In his post-match interview, Higgins paid tribute to the late Jim Donnelly, a Scottish snooker trailblazer, the first from his country to ever compete at the World Championship.

“It’s a sad loss,” Higgins said. “My thoughts go out to his family and friends. He was a part-owner of the club when I first started playing. My dad took me and my brother down. Yeah, sad day.

“He ran little coaching courses for the young boys, showed us how to hold a cue and how to play off the cushion, things like that. It’s really sad, my thoughts go out to his family, and friends. It’s a sad day.”