SNOOKER legend Jimmy White brought the star touch to a local club to celebrate the return of celebrity exhibition matches to Bolton.

Jimmy "Whirlwind" White, described as the best player never to have won the World Championship, played members of the audience at Bolton Snooker Club last night.

He also went head-to-head with corporate guests, before swapping his cue for a deck of cards in a game of poker.

The six-times World Championship runner-up said: "It's great to be in a snooker club because they're a dying breed.

"I still love playing snooker, and still believe I can win the World Championship - otherwise I'd be in Spain playing bad golf!"

Jimmy, who won the Poker Million World Series in 2004 and regularly appears on television playing the game, put nine local players to the test in a game with a prize fund of £4,000.

The star then signed autographs and had his photograph taken with scores of fans at the snooker club.

Martin Vickers, who has run the club on the Pilot Industrial Estate, Manchester Road, Burnden, since May, said: "It's a real coup to have Jimmy come here, because he's one of the most popular snooker players around. He also loves poker, which we have recently introduced and which is massive.

"I'm sure the other local clubs are jealous that we've pulled this off."