A pigeon found its way into Sheffield’s Crucible Theatre and landed on a table, bringing the World Snooker Championship to a halt.

The humorous moment occurred in the auditorium during second-round matches between Mark Selby and Yan Bingtao, as well as Zhao Xintong and Stephen Maguire.

When the pigeon initially fluttered down into the Crucible and sat on the table’s edge, Bingtao trembled slightly.

Commentator Rob Walker then said: ‘We have seen some things at the Crucible before but we have never seen that. Well, I never.

‘How on earth are they going to get it out?’

The bird then took a leisurely trip down the table before flying away, eliciting a mix of laughter and applause from the audience.

Bingtao and Selby, who both appeared taken aback by the odd encounter, continued to play in their second-round match after waiting for the green light.

The Crucible’s staff eventually gained control of the situation and escorted the pigeon out of the arena before passing it through the player’s entrance.

The pigeon interruption definitely amused fans, who took to social media to make light of the situation.

One wrote: ‘You could call that a bird’s eye view…I’ll get me coat.’

https://twitter.com/CaoimhinMacEoc1/status/1517538115937783809

Another quipped: ‘I heard there was a prize for the highest beak’.

https://twitter.com/AndrewMcEwan07/status/1517538486731030532

A third put: ‘Going for the Coo ball.’

https://twitter.com/AidanKe42592122/status/1517537259498651650

While another insisted: ‘This is why the snooker has to stay in Sheffield!’

This is why the snooker has to stay in Sheffield!

— Will Thompson (@willwearswhat) April 22, 2022

Bingtao surged into a 4-2 lead over Selby in his second-round match after the game was restarted.

In the other second-round match, Maguire is now leading Xintong 11-5.

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