SNOOKER: Bolton starlet Zac Barton has potted his way on to the European sceme.

The 15-year-old Bradshaw boy, who won England B honours earlier this year, has been selected to compete in the European Under-17s Championships in Malta next month.

He will be one of four English players competing against teenagers from nine other countries in the prestigious event that runs from January 4-10.

And that is just the start of what promises to be another exciting year for the fast-improving Turton Media Arts College pupil, whose performances in 2009 earned him a place on the England Association of Snooker and Billiards Premier Junior Tour, which features 48 of the country’s best under-21s.

Zac was awarded that place in October after a string of successes at national and international level and has since gone from strength to strength, cutting his handicap from five to scratch when he plays for Bolton Snooker Club in the Bolton and District Snooker League.

Sponsored by Concrete Drilling Services Ltd and CarMan Plastics Ltd, one of the sport’s rising stars turned in impressive performances in the North West U16s Championships and more recently in the English U16s qualifiers at the Northern Snooker Centre in Leeds, where he qualified for the last 16 of the EASB event which will be held next April.