JIMMY HITS THE JACKPOT

The achievement meant the 15-year-old was able to put behind him the misfortune of being disqualified from the English National Under-18 Championships three weeks ago after turning up late because of a traffic accident.

Jimmy, who is sponsored by Q-Ball and Classic Racing bookmakers and plays out of O'Sullivans, was up against some of the best under-19s in Britain at Prestatyn, North Wales.

He won his round robin group after knocking in breaks of 89, 100 and a terrific 129, the highest of the tournament.

One of the favourites, Jamie Cope from Stoke, provided the opposition in the last 32 but Jimmy won a scrappy match 3-0 and went on to defeat Grimsby's Jamie Barrett 3-1 and Welshman Anthony Krysa 3-2.

The Bexhill teenager got the better of Romford's Matt Self 3-0 in the last four to set up a thrilling showdown against Accrington lad Chris Norbury.

An exhilarating final, watched by nearly 200 people, saw Jimmy rattle in breaks of 37, 41, 61, 45 and 31 to take the match 4-3 by doubling the pink in the decider. Norbury had earlier compiled a 125 clearance to level at 2-2.

Jimmy returns to the venue for the World Junior National play-offs next month when a place in the final would see him on the main professional tour in September where he could be up against the likes of Ronnie O'Sullivan, Stephen Hendry and Jimmy White.