SCHOOLBOY snooker star Farakh Ajaib has pocketed the biggest title of his fledgling career.

The Accrington ace saw off competition from Preston, Manchester, Liverpool and Bolton to secure the North West Under-16 Snooker Championship.

Farakh, 16, won two of the tournament's four point-scoring events to claim the region's number one spot.

"Although I was fairly confident going into the tournament, I'm absolutely delighted to come away with the trophy," said Farakh.

"It's the biggest competition I've ever won and it puts me in good stead for the rest of the year."

The Moorhead High School pupil, who only took up the sport four-and-a-half years ago, needed to finish top of each four-man group to advance to the quarter-finals of each regional event.

Farakh went on to win at both Preston and Manchester, and accumulated sufficient points after getting knocked out in the semi-finals at Liverpool and the group stage in Bolton to take the title.

The East Lancashire hot-pot' has developed under the watchful eye of former professional Paul Rinaldi at Padiham Snooker Centre over the past two years.

Paul added: "Farakh's maximum break when he first arrived at the club was about 50, but now he's making centuries, of which he has about 15 or 16 to his name, on a regular basis.

"When he's playing well he can certainly give me a good game. He's very talented and needs to start moving up the ladder. He needs to be entering international qualifiers in order to get himself on the UK tour.

"So my aim now is to try and get him some sponsorship. If any businesses are interested in helping a young lad's career, by funding his practices and entrance fees etc, as well as having their logo on his waistcoat, then they should get in touch me at the club.

"I fully expect that by the time he's 20, he could qualify for the main tour and so in 10 years time, he could be ranked in the top 32 in the world."

In the more immediate future, Farakh will be hoping the titles continue to come his way when he takes part in both the NLTG Under-16 and Under-18 finals at Accrington's Brooks Club next Sunday, which would secure him the chance of a frame against former world number one Steve Davis.