LOOK out for another War of the Roses! Only this time the two sides won't be armed with pikes and lances - they'll have snooker cues.

Lancashire has always had thriving small-table snooker leagues in East Lancashire and on the Fylde Coast. But the only other area in the country where the game is played competitively is over the Pennines in Sheffield.

Now the old enemies are getting together for a battle royal; a two-leg 15-a-side charity tournament which, it is hoped, will become an annual event.

Brian Sims, captain of Lancashire small-table snooker champions Clitheroe Legion and Harold Heys of Darwen who is on the county committee came up with the idea and Lancashire secretary Graham Whittaker is all for it.

Sims contacted the Sheffield League and threw out the challenge which the Tykes could hardly refuse. David Breeze and Mike Hall who run the Sheffield competition have agreed on several points:

The first leg will be at a venue in Sheffield in mid-November and the return either in the Pendle area or in Blackpool in late February or early March. Each game will be over a Sunday afternoon and evening and over about 15 frames, the destination of the trophy being decided on aggregate.

Says Brian: "They're all for it over there. They seem to think we play on tiny tables with wooden balls and they reckon they are going to give us a right pasting. Apparently a lot of the top Yorkshire big-table players turn out in the league and will be in their squad. Well, I'm already shaking in my boots."

An opening line-up of Ronnie O'Sullivan, John Higgins and Steven Hendry wouldn't worry Beefy Brian who is likely to be given the job of managing the Lancashire team.

Says Harold Heys: "He's as wide as they come and I don't just mean the 20-odd stones he lumbers around. His Clitheroe lads have won the Lancashire small-table title three times in ten years and you have to be able to pull a few strokes to do that."

Accrington's Colin Morton recently captained the England team in the Home Internationals - they were pipped by the Republic of Ireland in the final - and he is again North West individual champion. He'd certainly do a job as captain of the Lancashire team. Says Brian: "Everyone over here is keen on the idea, especially the Nelson League officials. They would certainly stage an excellent return leg although they can expect stiff competition from some of the big clubs on the Fylde." More details will be announced shortly, but meanwhile the top small-table players will be polishing their cues and hoping to make the Lancashire squad which will feature players from throughout the county.