http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/other_sports/snooker/6035879.stm

 

 

 

 

 

Paul Hunter has died at the age of 27 after a battle with cancer.

 

The Leeds player was taken into the Kirkwood Hospice in Huddersfield last Friday and died on Monday evening.

 

The three-time Wembley Masters champion was diagnosed with dozens of neuro endocrine tumours on the lining of his stomach in March 2005.

 

Despite chemotherapy treatment, Hunter continued to compete professionally but won only one match last season and fell from fifth to 34th in the rankings.

 

Hunter turned professional at the age of 16 in 1995 and won his first major title, the 1998 Welsh Open, at the age of 19.

 

He also won the Welsh title in 2002 and picked up the British Open trophy the same year but he will be best remembered for his exploits at Wembley.

 

Hunter recovered from 7-3 down to beat Fergal O'Brien 10-9 in the 2001 final and fought back from 5-0 to beat Mark Williams 10-9 in the final a year later.

 

He completed a hat-trick of Masters victories in 2004 when he came from 7-2 down to beat Ronnie O'Sullivan 10-9.

 

Hunter's best World Championship performance was reaching the semi-finals in 2003, where he led Ken Doherty 15-9 before the Irishman stormed back to win 17-16.

 

Hunter would have been 28 on Saturday. He leaves a wife, Lindsey, and a daughter, Evie Rose, who was born on Boxing Day of last year.

 

 

Rest in Peace Paul. My prayers are with your family tonight :(

i'm speechless and very sad...still can't believe it happened...he was so young

i really liked him

 

RIP Paul

Rest in peace pal.

 

You truly were the man with the golden cue...:cry:

He completed a hat-trick of Masters victories in 2004 when he came from 7-2 down to beat Ronnie O'Sullivan 10-9.

 

god, i remember that one...

 

that comeback was one one of the greatest i've ever seen... after the match they showed his wife (i suppose) and him, they were so happy...i still can't believe Paul's gone...

 

RIP :(

:cry:

Woah. I can't believe this :stunned:

 

RIP :(

rest in peace paul.

R.I.P

Oh, it's really really sad!

 

Here, snooker isn't very popular but sometimes you can watch it on Eurosport and that's the reason why I know him. He leaves a wife and a daughter... :(

rest in peace,Ronnie O Sullivans best mate:cry: poor Paul,he was great player

I'm not a big snooker fan to tell the truth but even I've heard about this man. Everbody who's fighting with cancer is a hero already, doesn't really matter if he's famous or not. RIP.

he was famous and great player,what a miss

RIP Paul

http://youtube.com/watch?v=YstSsf5AcUg

removed :(

 

but there is a montage at

 

http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/other_sports/snooker/6041828.stm

thanks:bigcry:

Hundreds gather at Hunter funeral

 

Hundreds of mourners assembled in Leeds Parish Church and many more gathered outside for the funeral of snooker professional Paul Hunter.

 

The three-times Masters champion died of cancer at Kirkwood Hospice, Huddersfield last Monday, aged 27. Matthew Stevens, Hunter's closest friend on the circuit, was one of the pallbearers at the service.

 

Meanwhile, many of Hunter's fellow professionals were due to form a guard of honour for their friend's coffin. Seven-time world champion Stephen Hendry and six-time winner Steve Davis were joined by Jimmy White, Ken Doherty, Ryan Day, Dennis Taylor, John Parrott and Willie Thorne.

 

Hunter's coffin has been inside the church for the past two days and thousands have signed a book of condolence started by his widow Lindsey and 10-month-old daughter Evie Rose. Lindsey Hunter watched as the coffin was carried into the church by six pallbearers wearing the snooker player's "uniform" of a dark suit with a black bow tie.

 

The hearse was covered in floral tributes.Down one side, the words "My daddy" were spelt out in pink roses and next to a photograph of Hunter was a card which simply said "From your princess". Other flowers on the car spelt out the words "Legend", "Son" and "Bro".

 

Hunter's father, Alan, gave the first of four personal tributes, saying the massive turnout of around 1,000 mourners "would make our son Paul so proud" and showed "just how much our beautiful son was loved". Fighting back tears, he said his son told him simply that he had been "dealt a bad card".

 

Jimmy White was among the first of the players to arrive, with those following forming a roll-call of the famous names of the sport. John Virgo, Willie Thorne and Steve Davis chatted with other mourners as Peter Ebdon, Ken Doherty and Shaun Murphy were among the many others who filed into the church. Ronnie O'Sullivan was one of the later players to arrive.

 

Speaking outside the church, fans' favourite Willie Thorne said: "I'm deeply saddened. He's just going to be so sadly missed. He had a great personality, so you never knew whether he had won or lost. I admired the kid so much, he battled so very hard these last two or three years."

 

Bald Thorne recalled how Hunter used to say he did not mind the chemotherapy "as long as I don't end up looking like Willie Thorne". Also speaking outside the church, former world champion Dennis Taylor said: "Paul just stood out a mile. He was just so good for our game. It's just a dreadfully sad loss. He would have certainly been a world champion, that's for sure."

 

Taylor recalled a particular final clash between Hunter and Ronnie O'Sullivan, saying the two of them walked to the table like "two pop stars".

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/west_yorkshire/6066570.stm

Oh man. :cry:

Rest in piece Paul :sad2:

Hundreds of mourners assembled in Leeds Parish Church and many more gathered outside for the funeral of snooker professional Paul Hunter.

 

The three-times Masters champion died of cancer at Kirkwood Hospice, Huddersfield last Monday, aged 27. Matthew Stevens, Hunter's closest friend on the circuit, was one of the pallbearers at the service.

 

Meanwhile, many of Hunter's fellow professionals were due to form a guard of honour for their friend's coffin. Seven-time world champion Stephen Hendry and six-time winner Steve Davis were joined by Jimmy White, Ken Doherty, Ryan Day, Dennis Taylor, John Parrott and Willie Thorne.

 

Hunter's coffin has been inside the church for the past two days and thousands have signed a book of condolence started by his widow Lindsey and 10-month-old daughter Evie Rose. Lindsey Hunter watched as the coffin was carried into the church by six pallbearers wearing the snooker player's "uniform" of a dark suit with a black bow tie.

 

The hearse was covered in floral tributes.Down one side, the words "My daddy" were spelt out in pink roses and next to a photograph of Hunter was a card which simply said "From your princess". Other flowers on the car spelt out the words "Legend", "Son" and "Bro".

 

Hunter's father, Alan, gave the first of four personal tributes, saying the massive turnout of around 1,000 mourners "would make our son Paul so proud" and showed "just how much our beautiful son was loved". Fighting back tears, he said his son told him simply that he had been "dealt a bad card".

 

Jimmy White was among the first of the players to arrive, with those following forming a roll-call of the famous names of the sport. John Virgo, Willie Thorne and Steve Davis chatted with other mourners as Peter Ebdon, Ken Doherty and Shaun Murphy were among the many others who filed into the church. Ronnie O'Sullivan was one of the later players to arrive.

 

Speaking outside the church, fans' favourite Willie Thorne said: "I'm deeply saddened. He's just going to be so sadly missed. He had a great personality, so you never knew whether he had won or lost. I admired the kid so much, he battled so very hard these last two or three years."

 

Bald Thorne recalled how Hunter used to say he did not mind the chemotherapy "as long as I don't end up looking like Willie Thorne". Also speaking outside the church, former world champion Dennis Taylor said: "Paul just stood out a mile. He was just so good for our game. It's just a dreadfully sad loss. He would have certainly been a world champion, that's for sure."

 

Taylor recalled a particular final clash between Hunter and Ronnie O'Sullivan, saying the two of them walked to the table like "two pop stars".

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/west_yorkshire/6066570.stm

Jimmy White and Ronnie so sad on sixth picture! wow and Steven Davis on the seventh is so sad:sad2:

man,thats so poor:cry:

everybody wears ribbon on grand prix in Pauls honour

I am really sad about this...thnx 4 posting da photos, though they're sad...

He was a great player, I loved to see him shooting the balls...and he was so young...he left a beautiful corpse.....

 

R.I.P.

I'll miss you :cry:

http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport2/hi/other_sports/snooker/6037884.stm