by Anna Roberts
aroberts@thekmgroup.co.uk

England's World Cup squad have Tom Horton to thank for their pre and post-match fun - he supplied the team with a snooker and football table.

The ex-Sutton Valence School pupil was even flown to the England squad’s hotel in South Africa to make sure the tables were properly installed.

After Wayne Rooney and friends have enjoyed the tables they will be returned to Mr Horton, director of The Snooker and Pool Workshop in Hollingbourne Hill, who will auction them off for charity.

He has not yet decided which charities will benefit from the sales but said he was sure England fans would love the chance to play on something used by the likes of Peter Crouch and Steven Gerrard.

Mr Horton, 32, who lives in Pilgrims Way and also restores old snooker tables, said: “I’ve done stuff for the FA before and they rang me up and asked to provide them with a snooker table.

“The table football table was also sent over as an extra.

“It’s really good fun. I will be watching the England matches and imagine them playing on my table.

“But I don’t value the England team more than any of my other customers - everyone counts the same.”

Three weeks’ ago Mr Horton and a colleague Andy Archer were flown to South Africa to install the tables.

Mr Horton said as well as doing the job – the tables can be complex to build and require an expert touch – they also had some time for sightseeing.

He continued: “It was really good fun. But this is not the only long-haul trip I’ve done.

"I’ve also had the opportunity to go to New York, Greece and other places to install tables.”