FROM coaching snooker to a handful of kids to talking to a TV audience of millions, Chris Lovell has come a long way in a short space of time.

From the snooker halls of Padiham and Accrington to the Crucible working with world champions, it’s been a journey that Lovell himself can hardly believe.

But the fact that the likes of Steve Davis and Terry Griffiths look up to him for the tireless work he does underlines his commitment to the sport.

For the past three years, Lovell – a foundation learning manager at North Lancs Training Group – has worked for the Paul Hunter Foundation, along with local coaches Paul Rinaldi and Neil Ormerod which now helps thousands of children across the country.

His role at the Accrington-based NLTG has seen him run apprenticeship courses using snooker as a learning tool, a scheme Davis, who is now a close friend, acts as an ambassdor.

And, working alongside Davis and Griffiths, Cowell heads up World Snooker Coaching Team – and has helped 24 coaches across the country pass the course in the last four months “It takes a very special type of person with a special passion to do what Chris does,” said six-times world champion Davis. “It’s incredible the work he does and it’s all to help youngsters improve their lives through snooker. Chris lives, works and breaths for snooker, for helping others. He has his own family and his own personal life but he’s always working, always looking at ways to improve what we do.”

Lovell helped stage the first ever Paul Hunter Day at the last World Snooker Championships – where the snooker-mad Chinese got it on the act.

“I was interviewed by a Chinese film crew and that was watched by millions, it was incredible,” said Lovell. “But what gives me a real buzz is what we can do for local kids. My aim is to use snooker to bring people together, to work as a team.

“The likes of Paul and Neil and Steve of course, have been brilliant.”

“We’ve come a long way in a short space of time and we just want to continue to build teams and make people happy.”