TICKETS for the UK Snooker Championship final in York on December 15 were all gone today, only three days after going on sale.

The crowd capacity in the Barbican Centre's arena for the Sunday double-session climax to two weeks of world-class sport is 529. Most of those tickets had been snapped up by yesterday afternoon and Barbican snooker co-ordinator Richard Batterby said that the rest would be sold out today.

The demand for tickets is already bigger than at the same time last year when York staged the tournament for the first time.

By yesterday afternoon 2,300 tickets had been sold, mostly for the final, the second semi-final on Saturday, December 14, and the start of the televised stages on Saturday, December 7 when Ronnie O'Sullivan sets out on his quest to defend the UK title.

Crowd capacity for the four-table format early rounds is 324. This goes up to 664 for the two-table arena, then down to 529 for the final.

"We have had inquiries from the Netherlands and one from Hong Kong," said Batterby. "About 40 per cent of ticket sales have been to people from York and North Yorkshire, but there has also been a lot of interest from Leeds and Sheffield.

The championship starts on Saturday, December 2, with 32 players bidding for the £100,000 top prize or a share of the £746,900 total prize fund. All the world's top players will be in action, with the leading 16 making their bow from December 7.

To book tickets ring the Barbican Centre box office on 01904 656688.

Updated: 11:57 Wednesday, October 30, 2002