The final of the World Snooker Championship was paused for a few minutes after a spectator threw up during the second day of play.

The incident took place during the 23rd frame, with Kyren Wilson leading opponent Jak Jones in the surprise match-up at The Crucible.

After play restarted, Jones took the frame to reduce the deficit to 13-10, only for Wilson to then open his lead back up.

Paul Collier, who was refereeing the frame, instructed Jones to briefly pause while the spectator was attended to.

The players were given an extended break at the end of the frame before play could resume, as staff helped clear up the mess.

Jones had trailed 7-0 at one point in the final, while the second day’s play began with Wilson 11-6 to the good. Jones had chances to bring the score even closer, but instead his opponent reeled off successive frames to make it 15-10.

During the BBC’s coverage, pundit John Parrott joked that “That’s the biggest cheer for a cleaner you will ever see”. The ill spectator was taken out of the venue before play continued, per The Sun.

Jones’ recovery after his nightmare start came despite questions from pundits. “He’s been sitting in his chair for four frames. Why would you not go to the practice table?” Steve Davis asked on The BBC.

“I don’t understand why not. He’s absolutely not even got out of the blocks, and he’s expecting to pot what could be difficult shots. It’s a no-brainer to me to go to the practice table.”

During the BBC’s coverage after the 25th frame, it was pointed out that Jones has played more than 20 hours’ more snooker than his opponent.

The man from Cwmbran is vying to become the first qualifier to go all the way since Shaun Murphy in 2005.

Those in the studio suggested exhaustion might have been getting to both players late on. Jones and Wilson both missed presentable chances in the final frame of the session before Wilson got over the line.

“Both of them are on the floor,” Davis said. “You count to 10 and who can get up before the 10. They’ve been really, really nervous. You can feel for both of them but somebody has to make the last mistake.”

“The pair of them are running on fumes,” was Parrott’s verdict. You can’t think straight and your concentration levels are gone.