Councillors in Blaenau Gwent’s have expressed their disappointment that the county’s highest honour was not bestowed on snooker legend Ray Reardon, while he was still alive.

Last month Blaenau Gwent councillors agreed to bestow the freedom of the county borough on Ray Reardon posthumously, after approving his nomination from a council working group.

At an extraordinary meeting of the council on Thursday, October 24 councillors met to agree the award which is: “In recognition of Ray’s great contribution to and achievements in the sport of professional snooker not only in Tredegar and Wales but also globally.”

To approve the nomination two thirds of the councillors, 22 of 33, were needed to vote in favour of it.

Opposition Independent group leader, Cllr Wayne Hodgins said: “I fully support this it was long overdue and unfortunately the gentleman has passed (away).”

Cllr Hodgins recalled how Ray Reardon had played his part in making snooker popular to watch as part of the Pot Black snooker tournaments shown on the television in the 1970s.

“He brought it into the limelight,” said Cllr Hodgins.

Non-aligned Independent Cllr Jonathan Millard said: “It’s totally overdue.

“He was a Tredegar lad through and through, he’s someone who gave back to the community.”

Labour’s Cllr Derrick Bevan: “It’s good to see this done I’m just disappointed as we should have done it years ago when he was still alive.

“He was one of our hero’s when we were children.

“Ray would play up at the ‘stute in Ebbw Vale and if anyone took a couple of points off him, we thought it was great.

“He was a real character.”

Non-aligned Independent Cllr George Humphreys added: “He was great champion and also a great coach as well, as he followed on to coach future world champions.”

The vote was put to councillors who supported the nomination unanimously.

Presiding councillor, Labour’s Cllr Chris Smith said: “A small ceremony to present the freedom of the borough scroll to Ray’s family will take place at the General Office.”

Cllr Smith believed this would take place early next year.

Born in Tredegar in 1932, Reardon worked as a coal miner and a police officer.

He won six consecutive Welsh amateur snooker championships in the 1950s and went on to win the English amateur championship in 1964 before turning professional in 1967.

He won his first world championship in 1970 and became the dominant force in the 1970s winning a further five world championships, his last coming in 1978 at the age of 45.

In 2016, the trophy awarded to the winner of snooker’s Welsh Open was named the Ray Reardon Trophy in his honour.

He died on July 19 at the age of 91.