Snooker's greatest names from past and present are expected to attend the funeral of Alex Higgins, when the Hurricane is finally laid to rest.
Higgins - world champion in 1972 and 1982 - died on Saturday after a long battle with throat cancer in his home city of Belfast, aged 61.
Some £10,000 raised to help Higgins receive medical treatment prior to his death will go towards his funeral, which will be delayed to allow friend and former player Jimmy White to return from Thailand to attend. (See the Higgins and White in their pomp on the BBC)
Higgins' former personal assistant Will Robinson said the remaining money from an auction and Manchester fundraising dinner will be used to give the snooker star a ‘great send-off’.
‘The money left in our fund is going to pay for the funeral,’ said Robinson. ‘There was £15,000, there's probably about £10,000 in total when we get everything in. Now that's going to pay for a great send-off.’
Higgins travelled to Spain earlier this month for a dental operation, but medics deemed him too frail to go ahead with the procedure.
Robinson, who was 15 when he first met Higgins, said the snooker player's sister Jean and White asked for the funds to be used.
He said funeral details have not yet been finalised as White is in Thailand and wishes to travel back.
‘He's asked to hold things up until he gets back. That's the plan and the family have agreed to that,’ added Robinson.
