Victim: Craig Stuart, 31, (pictured) has spoken of the moment he was threatened with a signed snooker cue he was given after being picked to play Ronnie O'Sullivan when he was mugged just hours later

A snooker fan who was given a signed cue after being picked from the crowd to play with Ronnie O'Sullivan has spoken of the moment he was threatened with it after being mugged just hours later.

Craig Stuart, 31, was selected to play doubles with the five-time world champion in an exhibition frame between Jimmy White and another member of the audience at a Snooker Legends event.

He was then given the signed cue by O'Sullivan after potting the winning black.

But Mr Stuart's joy turned to despair after an opportunistic thief stole it from him - and even threatened to use it as a weapon against him.

The mugging happened as he walked the short distance from his home in Plymouth, Devon, to visit his parents and show them the prize.

Mr Stuart was approached by a man who started up a conversation about snooker. The pair continued talking and Mr Stuart then explained where the cue had come from.

He said: 'We started chatting about snooker and he kept following me.

'He then grabbed the case off me and ran back the opposite way.'

Mr Stuart, who works as an administrator, offered the mugger £20 to give him the cue back. The thief then jogged back over to him, demanding that he place the money on the ground.

When this request was refused, the mugger raised the cue above his head and threatened to beat Mr Stuart with it.

The victim said: 'He was very quick to get away and I was absolutely gutted. It was so shocking that it didn't really sink in until he began disappearing.

'I tried to chase him but fell over and cut my hand. I felt angry and hurt.'

Mr Stuart had planned to keep the cue in his family so that he could pass it onto his children or his nephew, Harry.

He said: 'It's a once-in-a-lifetime item that I would never dream of selling.'

He acquired the special cue during the Plymouth Pavilions' Snooker Legends Match on Sunday.

Chosen one: Mr Stuart was attending a Snooker Legends event when he was selected from the crowd to play doubles with five-time world champion O'Sullivan in an exhibition frame (the pair are pictured playing together)

Victor: He was then given a signed cue by O'Sullivan after potting the winning black. But Mr Stuart's joy turned to despair when just hours later he was mugged while walking to his parents' house to show them his prize

It was later signed by both O'Sullivan and White, along with other snooker legends John Virgo and Ray Reardon, as well as referee Michaela Tabb.

Mr Stuart had potted the winning black in his doubles match with the professionals, receiving a rapturous applause from the crowd.

He said: 'It was a fantastic moment. I couldn't pot anything until then, but I was extremely happy to be leaving with a signed cue and a lovely memory that would stay with me.'

Devon & Cornwall Police were called to the scene where Mr Stuart was mugged but have so far been unable to trace the assailant.

Hurt: Mr Stuart said he tried to chase after the mugger but fell over and cut his hand in the process (pictured)

A CHANCE TO PLAY WITH THE PROS: HOW SNOOKER LEGENDS FIRST BEGAN The Snooker Legends events were launched in 2010 and see retired and current snooker players take part in exhibition matches in snooker venues across the country. In the first event, at the Crucible Theatre in Sheffield, Jimmy White Cliff Thorburn, John Parrott and John Virgo joined snooker legend Alex Higgins in what was the latter’s final match before dying of throat cancer later that year. O’Sullivan has been playing on the tour since 2011, when 30 events were held. Last year there were 13 events, while this year’s show in Plymouth was the third of 2015. At each event two members of the audience are invited to play an exhibition frame with the snooker legends. Advertisement

A spokesman said: 'We are investigating reports of a theft which took place on Ferrers Road, St Budeaux, at around 5.50pm on Sunday.

'The victim was walking when a man came up to him described as 5ft 8in, slim, [and wearing] sunglasses and a white hoody who stole £20 and a snooker cue from the victim, before running towards St Budeaux square.'

O'Sullivan has reportedly expressed his concern after hearing of the theft and is said to have pledged to replace the cue if the offender is not caught.

Jason Francis, one of the organisers of the Snooker Legends event, said: 'We were all very upset when we heard about the theft.