Snooker player David Manley is celebrating after scoring his second 147 break.

The 39-year-old foreign exchange manager with travel agents Thomas Cook loves the sport, lives next door to the club in Northdown Road, Cliftonville, and still dreams of becoming a professional, despite two unsuccessful tilts at joining the paid ranks.

He said: “I was playing against Lee Richardson in an inter-club league match, and knew it was on as soon as the first red went in.

“The whole club stopped, they were calling the break as it happened, and I was so relieved when the final black went in that I punched the air in delight. It is such a big thing and a rare event.”

Whitstable-born Manley has been playing for 18 years, and once quit his job and went to Scotland to try and make it as a pro.

He said: “I was 26 and arrived at John Higgins’ club in Wishall near Glasgow with just my cue and £17 in my pocket, asking if I could clean tables in return for free practice. I played with Higgins and Alan McManus, and got to know them well.

“Then I was one game away from the big time when I lost 5-4 to Tony Ford who was 30-plus in the world at the time, but both times it proved too expensive, and you can’t do it and work at the same time.

“However I still believe I can become the oldest world champion, and if anyone out there would like to sponsor me, then ask them to get in touch.”

Manley plays regularly with club pro Hugh Abernethy and both reached the semi-finals of the Kent Championships at Rainham earlier this year.

He thinks Stephen Hendry to be “the greatest player who has ever lived”, but says Alex ’Hurricane’Higgins is his favourite because he is “just different to everyone else.”