Keighley’s two-time English 8-Ball world champion Chris Melling is the early leader in the Rileys All Star Pool Challenge – a competition to find the fastest pool player in the country.

Players face a race against the clock to clear an English pool table, finishing on the black ball, and the 30-year-old former Oakbank School pupil has posted the fastest time so far.

Melling – known as The Magician – produced a clearance time of 36.50 seconds recorded at Rileys club in Barnsley.

That puts him way out in front of the next best time from Craig Waddingham of 43.66 seconds, which took place in Scunthorpe.

Should Melling stay top he will win an an all-expenses paid trip to the Formula One European Grand Prix in Valencia in June 2010.

But whether his time stays the fastest remains to be seen as last year’s winner John Burt, 21, from Watford won with an astonishing 29.09sec.

Anyone can take the free challenge on Friday, Saturday or Sunday from 4pm to 9pm at any Rileys club nationwide.

There are also prizes for fastest under-18, over-50, female and student.