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Leighton Davies travelled to Pontin's to support dad Paul in the Pontin's Pool Gala, but while Paul got knocked out, Leighton was busy upstairs in Pontin's superb World Snooker Centre, competing in the Businessland Under 21 Challenge series.

It was Leighton's first venture outside his Matchroom home base to compete in open competition and he shocked some of the cream of British Junior snooker, including his own club mate Nick Hunt, to reach the semi finals.

Having won four of his six round robin group matches, Davies qualified for the knock out stage.

His first victim was club mate Nick Hunt, who he beat 3-2 after a dramatic match. Leighton led 2-0, but Hunt used his experience to get back to 2-2.

Nick needed and got a snooker on the pink in the decider, but was then heartbroken to commit a foul on the pink, which gave Leighton one last chance to cross the line, which he gratefully accepted.

In the quarter finals he beat England's Callum Waite, who sits at number nine on the rankings.

His run came to an end in the semis, beaten 3-1 by series leader Stuart Carrington from Grimsby.

Davies picked up a cheque for £75 for his efforts, and proved to himself and other Matchroom Juniors, what they could achieve in open competition.

Dad Paul and younger brother Chris were there to cheer him on, as was the "totally unbiased" Pontin's press officer Janie Watkins, and Matchroom's Stephen Ellis, who sits at number three on the Challenge Series ranking list.

Any player under the age of 21 is eligible to compete in the Under 21 Challenge Series in Pontin's. There are two more events on the 2005-6 calendar, on 11-12 March and 1-2 April 2006. Full details and entry forms can be found on the Pontin's Snooker Pages.

Pontin's Challenge Series Event Four RESULTS

Pontin's Challenge Series Rankings