Ben Williams never thought he’d have to go above and beyond the job description of a snooker referee.

But when he saw a star about to fall victim to an infamous insect, he had to step in, even if it came at a cost.

Eurosport

It took Kyren Wilson a few seconds to realise a wasp was on his shirt collar[/caption]

Eurosport

Referee Williams intervened and grabbed the wasp but got stung in the process[/caption]

Williams officiated a first round match of the 2020 Masters between Kyren Wilson and Jack Lisowski at the iconic Alexandra Palace.

With the score at 2-2, Wilson was about to take a shot but had a wasp fly off his ear and on to the back of his shirt collar.

The 33-year-old was understandably a little unsettled after the wasp flew off his shirt and landed on the table.

Determined not to let the insect derail the contest, referee Williams grabbed the wasp with his gloved right hand.

However, the wasp did not take kindly to being picked up by the official and immediately stung Williams.

After Williams informed the players he’d been stung, Wilson gave the referee a hug as the audience laughed along at the bizarre sequence of events.

At the end of the fifth frame, which Wilson won, Williams received treatment from the onsite medical staff.

It seemed the encounter provided Wilson with the reprieve he needed, as the 33-year-old won the following three frames to claim a 6-2 victory in the best-of-11 contest.

“Jack started off like a house on fire, going for everything and potting everything like we know he can do,” Wilson said.

“First two frames I didn’t really see a ball. After that I settled down and started to play snooker like I know I can.

Eurosport

Wilson made sure to thank Williams by giving him a hug, much to the crowd’s delight[/caption]

talkSPORT BET: Latest Cheltenham Festival odds and free bet offers

“I felt like I didn’t want to take any undue risks. I kept it tight but took my chances when they came.

“I know how dangerous Jack can be. When I started getting a frame or two ahead I didn’t want to throw him in the balls and make it easy for him to re-find his rhythm.”

Unfortunately Wilson’s run at the 2020 Masters ended in the quarter-finals as he was bundled out 6-4 by eventual champion Stuart Bingham.

As for the Ally Pally wasp, it lived to see another day.

In fact, it went on to sting another unfortunate victim during the 2023 World Darts Championship, which is held at the venue.

Eurosport

Williams required treatment on the sting at the end of the fifth frame[/caption]

After he beat Niels Zonneveld in the second round, Ross Smith was conducting a post-match interview when disaster struck.

Asked if he could be the tournament’s dark horse, Smith replied: “Yeah honestly, without a doubt, I believe…” before he was rudely interrupted.

“There’s the wasp!” he said. “He’s just done me, he’s just stung me like a good’un, little w*****!”

Callan Rydz was another darts player who encountered the Ally Pally wasp, not that he knew it.

During his 2024 World Darts Championship fourth round clash against Robert Owen, the wasp descended onto Rydz’s head.

However, Rydz told talkSPORT after his victory he had ‘no clue’ the wasp was anywhere near him.