VIDEO: Higgins attends book signing in region

AN exhibition match featuring controversial snooker star Alex "Hurricane" Higgins descended into chaos last night when he punched the referee.

Higgins, playing an exhibition match at Spennymoor Leisure Centre last night, landed the punch on referee Terry Riley, after a dispute over a foul shot called by the Stockton official.

Scores of spectators were left speechless as the referee then grabbed Higgins.

Witnesses said he pushed him backwards along the table before members of the crowd and Higgins' opponent, Jimmy White, stepped in.

The event's promoter, Gary Astley, said Higgins later told him the referee had "over-reacted".

But Mr Riley, a class one international referee with 25 years' experience, said: "It was a punch and officials are not there to be punched."

Mr Riley, who has refereed Higgins in the past, said: "Early on in the game he was getting abusive. I said to Gary Astley, I am not able to take this.

"Then Alex was leaning over and touching the blue ball with his shirt.

"With exhibitions like this you don't normally call such fouls, but Jimmy signalled to me and called the foul, which I did.

"Alex said, 'I did not touch it', but I said he did.

"He just came at me and punched me in the stomach, that was when I pushed him away."

A spectator said: "All night there seemed to be an atmosphere developing with the referee.

"Higgins kept asking him to move out of his eyeline. It was about the fifth frame when the referee called a foul for Higgins moving the blue ball.

"He had touched it with his hand, but he glared at the referee and Jimmy White just said play on.

"Then the referee called the foul again for the same offence.

"It was at that point that Higgins turned around and punched the referee in the stomach.

"At this point the referee got hold of Higgins by the neck and pushed him backwards along the table. Then a few people jumped out of the crowd to intervene."

The match carried on for a few minutes without the referee taking part.

One fan even left the crowd to respot one of the balls after a pot.

After playing on for about five minutes White conceded the frame and the game ended.

Mr Astley then addressed the crowd.

He said: "Tonight was a unique event. I spent the last three months promoting this and this was not in the script.

"I picked up Alex Higgins from the airport yesterday afternoon and sat with him for an hour-and- a-half.

"I don't care what anybody says, he is one of the nicest people I have ever met in my life."

Higgins returned to the auditorium 45 minutes after the incident to sign autographs.

The exhibition game was being held to raise funds to support North-East snooker players.