IT'S back and it promising to be bigger and better than ever.

Darwen's Borough Pairs snooker tournament is being organised this year by new landlord Ray Tompkins and regular Ollie Taylor who says: "We're confident it will again be very popular and we are hoping for a top-class entry."

The Borough Pairs was a fixture of the East Lancashire snooker scene for many years until it lapsed. Ollie got it under way again a few years ago and it went from strength to strength till last year when he just didn't have the time to organise it.

However, together with sports fan Ray, who took over at the Borough a few weeks ago, he has decided to give it another go.

Says Ollie: "Tommy Hannon and James Brookens won the last two pairs titles and it was a pity that they didn't get the chance to make it a hat-trick. Hopefully, they'll try again this time."

Entry is £10 a pair and first prize will be £250 and enough beer for a big party. Entry is limited to the first 32 pairs to enter.

The rules for this novel event are simple. Aggregate score over two frames although there will again be a limited handicap. Hannon and Brookens, for example, are likely to be giving up to 40 points to weaker teams.

The prospect probably won't daunt them too much...

Interested? Contact Ray or Ollie at the Borough: (01254) 702192.