POOL - FIVE players from the Weston Pool League will be playing at the prestigious Strachan International 8ball pool tournament at the Imperial Hotel, Blackpool on February 12-14.

FIVE players from the Weston Pool League will be playing at the prestigious Strachan International 8ball pool tournament at the Imperial Hotel, Blackpool on February 12-14.

The event is being broadcast live across the internet by local-based company called the stream team.

The players who all play in the Weston Pool League and represent Somerset county include Aaron Stone and Jon Ford, who are making their debuts at this level.

Jon won the county averages last year and has qualified for an England trial in March. He is a former Weston singles champion and was a finalist in the county singles last year.

Two-time Welsh Tour champion Antony Doble returns for his second appearance at the event, having reached the last 16 last year. The former Weston singles champion was a winner of the 8ball super tour event3 last year, beating the world champion in the final.

Daryl Lovegrove qualified as a professional at the end of last season and has a tour ranking of 43. He won the 8ball super tour event4 last year and is another former Weston singles champion.

Russell Burgess has been a Welsh international since 2001 and is the Northern Ireland Masters champion and also a three-time Welsh Tour champion. This is his 11th season on the tour and has been a finalist five times, but is yet to win. Another former Weston singles champion, he has a professional ranking of 16 and a tour ranking of 19.