SNOOKER ace George Holden insists he isn't potty for giving away his trophy collection to keep kids off the street!

The Blackburn cueman has donated dozens of his own cups to youngsters at his Saturday club sessions in the town over the past 18 months.

"The collection is dwindling a bit now," smiled George, who runs the coaching school at Rileys Snooker Club for boys and girls up to 15 years of age.

"But it is well worth it just to see the look on their faces. It means so much to them to win a trophy."

George has amassed a huge array of silverware on the local snooker and pool circuit over the years. And he is still winning at the grand old age of 47.

But running the Saturday club on a tight budget has meant raiding his private collection of cups and plaques to keep the young players happy.

"The £3 the kids pay only covers the lights we use," he explained. "So there isn't anything left to buy trophies.

"But when we organise competitions amongst the youngsters you have got to have a trophy for them to win.

"So there was only one solution - bring some of mine in.

"I take the label off the front and go to the trophy shop to buy a new one.

"It doesn't cost a fortune doing it like that and it's nice to give them something they will treasure.

"While I've been running this club I've given away a fair few. I had lots to start with, but the collection is shrinking now.

"Obviously there are some which I would never give away - like the one I got for winning the Pontins Open - they are really special to me. But I don't mind handing over some of the others because it is such a worthy cause when you see the pleasure they get out of it."

George, a Lancashire player at pool for the last 10 years, took over the running of the Saturday club at Rileys when he worked there for a short time between being made redundant and starting a new job at Blackburn Library.

At their peak, the sessions attracted around 30 youngsters all keen to learn how to play the game from one of the area's most successful amateurs.

But recently turnout has dwindled to around 10 and George is appealing for new recruits to come along and boost the numbers.

"We could do with some more now," he said. "About 25 would be ideal, so that means we are on the lookout for about 15 new faces - boys or girls - to join in. It's just the hardcore of players, who are really keen, who come along at the moment.

"And there are some decent players amongst them, some with 40-odd breaks to their name.

"I'm self-taught, but I have bags of experience to pass on to young players and I love doing it. I have a highest break of 129, so I know my way round a snooker table.

"We teach them how to play the game properly and it is great to see them progress from never having held a cue before to knocking in the shots.

"We are at Rileys every Saturday morning from 10am. It's great because anything that keeps young people off the streets and doing something worthwhile has to be encouraged."

Anyone wishing to join George's Saturday morning snooker sessions can ring him on 01254 668166.