TRIBUTES have been paid to former World Snooker champion Terry Griffiths, who has died at the age of 77.

The Llanelli star's passing comes just months after the death of Tredegar world champion Ray Reardon.

Compatriot and three-time world champion Mark Williams described the 1979 world champion as an "inspiration" for generations of Welsh snooker players.

Griffiths, who won the title as a qualifier beating Dennis Taylor 24-16 in the final, later became an accomplished coach and TV commentator who worked with stellar players such as Stephen Hendry, Mark Allen and Williams.

“It’s very sad," said the latter. "Griff, as I always called him, I’d go down his club when I was 13, 14 years of age playing tournaments every Sunday for years and years.

"He coached me for a while and won the World Championship, but just a good friend, one of the best players Wales ever produced.

"He was an inspiration for all the juniors. We all used to go to his club and practice and he always used to be there, presenting the £100 or £200 to the winners, he was always there.

"Every one of us looked up to him, it’s just very sad.

"He was a friend, mentor, coach, everything."

Dennis Taylor, who visited Griffiths in hospital last week, said: “He was a very, very special person and a brilliant snooker player and probably one of the best coaches snooker has ever had.

"He just loved snooker and he never changed."

Griffiths also won the Masters in 1980 and the UK Championship in 1982 to complete snooker's 'Triple Crown' and was awarded an OBE.

His final match was the first round of the 1997 World Championship, where he was beaten in a final-frame decider by a 22-year-old Williams who was making his Crucible debut.

"He always gave me stick for that, saying I was the one that retired him," Williams added.