Telford is a “strong contender” to retain Shropshire’s premier sporting event, snooker’s Pukka Pies UK Championship, in 2010.

The week-long tournament came to an end at Telford’s International Centre on Sunday when Ding Junhui defeated John Higgins to win the second biggest tournament on the calender and the £100,000 first prize.

It is the third year that the world’s leading players had descended on Shropshire for the tournament, and crowds were up 20 per cent on 12 months ago.

Snooker’s plans for the future are currently uncertain with new World Professional Billiards and Snooker Association chairman Barry Hearn due to attend his first board meeting tomorrow.

But World Snooker officials have offered hope that the tournament could return to Shropshire.

“It was another really good week in Telford,” said World Snooker spokesman Ivan Hirschowitz.

“The players enjoy it and I think everyone agrees it is one of the best venues on the circuit.

“Telford has done everything right and it continues to tick all the boxes.

“It’s a while yet before we sit down and finalise plans for next year but Telford is a very strong contender.”

Hirschowitz was delighted with the increase in crowds.

And he believes the coverage given to the tournament in the Shropshire Star helped boost attendances.

“The exposure the Shropshire Star gave the tournament was excellent and I’m sure that encouraged a lot of people to go,” he said.

“The popular players like Ronnie (O’Sullivan) also had good runs which helped and with Ding getting to the final, there were a lot of Chinese people in the crowd for the final which was great.”