KEEN snooker fans could win a frame against the world's best players as part of celebrations marking the 150th birthday of the Wiltshire Times.

Big snooker names including Jimmy White, Stephen Hendry, John Higgins and Marco Fu are coming to Trowbridge on February 14 and 15 as we bring the 2004 Premier Snooker League to the Civic Hall.

An amateur league of one-frame matches will be held at Cooper Avon Tyres Sports and Social Club, in Melksham House, on February 6 and 7, with the winner of the knockout competition getting the chance to play a frame against Stephen Hendry.

Wiltshire Times sales and marketing executive Carol Moth said: "The staff at Melksham House have been fantastic with helping us set up this competition and the prize really is a once in a lifetime opportunity."

Tickets for the Premier Snooker League event are selling fast.

Civic Hall manager Bill Austin said: "Both of the Jimmy White matches have sold out already and there are only a few rows left for many of the other games.

"We have also heard this week from two Japanese businessmen who found out about the competition on Sky TV and will be flying over the week before.

"They have booked tickets for the whole weekend so they can watch Marco Fu play."

As part of the 150th anniversary celebrations the newspaper has teamed up with Trowbridge Museum for a new exhibition called Hot Off The Press charting the progress of the printing industry from its origins in Ancient China to present-day printers.

A display charts the history of the Wiltshire Times and includes equipment used in the hot metal printing process when the paper was printed in Trowbridge until November 1986. Trowbridge Museum curator Katherine White said: "Since the exhibition has opened we have had so much interest from people who used to be in the printing industry and they clearly really enjoyed their work. The exhibition has stirred a lot of memories for them. One of the pieces I like the most in the exhibition is a sheet of printing material that dates back to 1491. It is really nice to look at how the use of writing changed and became a lot easier to read."

The exhibition runs until May 14. The museum is open Tuesday to Friday from 10am to 4pm and on Saturday from 10am to 5pm.

Anyone wishing to enter the snooker competition should contact the Wiltshire Times at 15 Duke Street, Trowbridge, BA14 8EF or e-mail Carol Moth on cmoth@newswilts.co.uk, giving your name and contact details. Players must be 16 years old or over. There are spaces at Melksham House for 64 players and though entry is free all competitors will be asked to make a donation of at least £1 to the Wiltshire Times' chosen charity, the Wiltshire Community Foundation.