CHESTER’S Ricky Walden yesterday shocked the snooker world by knocking world number two Mark Williams out of the UK Championship. And he did it just days after hitting his first 147-break.

The world number 22 grabbed the maiden maximum of his career – and the 81st in recorded professional snooker history – during last week’s Players Tour Championship event in Sheffield.

Walden, who pocketed a £3,000 prize for his efforts, then took that form into this week’s televised UK Championship where he yesterday claimed the major scalp of Williams at the Barbican Centre in York, 6-3.

Walden, who will take on world number five Shaun Murphy in the quarter-finals tonight, said: “I’m chuffed. With the BBC tournaments I’ve not had a good run, so I’m pleased to come here and win. I’ve been working hard.

“Mark’s a brilliant player. He’s one of the best around. You've got to take your chances when they crop up and I did that.”

The 29-year-old went into the big BBC-televised event on a massive high after his frame of a lifetime at the World Snooker Academy.

The player on the end of Walden’s 147 was a youngster who is hoping to follow in his footsteps – Chester & District League star Gareth Allen.

The Ewloe-based 23-year-old, who plays for Broughton Wings, could not stop Walden from storming to a 4-1 success and a place in the fourth round.

The former Shanghai Masters champion, who used to run Chester’s Q-Bar, then edged out Mark King and Welshman Williams 4-3 before being beaten 4-2 by Dominic Dale in the last 16.

Walden, who is riding high in 12th in the Players Tour Championship Order of Merit with £8,600, was handed a return clash against two-time world champion Williams in the second round of the UK Championship as reward for his 6-3 win over Stephen Lee on Monday.

The first six frames of the Lee match were shared as Walden made breaks of 55, 51 and 92 and 13th-seed Lee knocked in 54, 78 and 103.

He then nicked a tight seventh on the colours before compiling runs of 98 and 54 to set up yesterday’s last-16 showdown against Williams, who fought back from 3-0 down to level before Walden rallied to record a stunning 6-3 victory.