Shaun Murphy welcomes UK Championship's return to York

Shaun Murphy was UK Champion in 2007

Former World and UK snooker champion Shaun Murphy has welcomed the news that the UK Championships will be returning to York.

The city's Barbican Centre will again host the tournament after a break of five years.

Murphy told BBC Radio York: "Amongst the players The Barbican was always one of the favourite venues.

"We are all really pleased to be coming back here and I can not wait to get stuck in."

The tournament moved to Telford when the York venue closed down. It has now been reopened and the championships will take place there in December.

Murphy said: "I've only played at the Barbican a few times. When it left I then won it in Telford but I don't think that had anything to do with the venue.

"York's somewhere I've got a lot of fond memories of. I really like it here. It's got a great feel about it.

"I used to live in Sheffield and I used to spend a lot of personal time in York. It brings back a lot of good memories being here and particularly around Christmas time it will be fantastic. I can't wait."