IT WAS an “eye opening” experience for snooker players on the Waterside – or perhaps that should read the exact opposite.

Members of league sides sported eye patches during a charity tournament at Ashlett Club to raise awareness of ocular melanoma, a rare eye cancer.

Lee Ashbolt, who pocketed the £50 first prize, explained the difficulty of playing snooker with one eye covered.

“It’s hard to even look straight down the cue,” said the 26-year-old, pictured right. “It’s amazing how tiring it is because you’re putting so much strain on that one eye.”

Dave Matthews – who organised the event as part of OM Eye Patch Day at the club on Ashlett Creek, near Fawley – said: “It’s the depth perception. “I’ve got no idea how close my (cue) tip is to the cue-ball so there were a few times where I was expecting to have already hit the ball and I still had a bit of a way to go.”

Premier league player Matthews, 30, whose mum Christine has ocular melanoma, said he was “impressed” with the 19-strong turnout that raised £200 for OcuMel UK. Raffle prizes were donated by the Fawley Express convenience store.

Ashbolt defeated Richard King, from the Waterside Sports and Social Club, Holbury, 64-33 to claim the prize money.

Because he is predominantly a pool player, King did not wear an eye patch. Ashbolt said: “It’s been a great evening. “I’ve known Dave now for a couple of years and I know that this charity is really close to his heart. It’s good that everyone has turned out.” The recognised century breaker from Super League outfit Ashlett Club B also posted the evening’s ‘igh (ouch) break of 29.

“I was getting the hang of it in the end,” he explained. “The more you practise, the more you get used to it. I think your brain adapts to it. “But it really takes it out of you. It was an eye-opening experience.”

Snooker spotlight in today's Daily Echo