Stuart Bingham began his bid for UK Championship glory in fine style with an emphatic victory – just a day after the full extent of shocking abuse taunts towards him was made public.

The 2015 world champion opened his bid to win the prestigious UK  title for the first time with an impressive 6-0 win over James Wattana.

Bingham, who won the English Open last month, turned on the style from the fourth frame with breaks of 92, 50, 78 and 53.

However, his victory came 24 hours after he told the BBC the shocking level of abuse he received while he was suspended from the sport last year after being found guilty of betting on matches.

The world number 14 revealed one social media user told him he “wanted his children to die of cancer”.

Bingham missed last year’s UK Championship due to his suspension and admitted he just couldn’t watch it on the TV because he was so upset to be missing it as a player.

Bingham told the BBC: “It has been a tough time off the table and the win at the English Open made it more special. It was nice to get back into the winners’ circle, to get my hands on the trophy meant the world to me.

“My family and I got a lot of abuse on social media (during the suspension). People that did not know the full story and had just read the headline branded me a cheat.

“I follow people on social media who are boxers or golfers and it is too easy to get in contact with people. I do it for publicity for myself and a bit of banter between the snooker players but it is getting out of hand.

“We had it with Barry Hawkins and I had a row with someone who had a £20 bet and he wants your kids to die of cancer. It is so bad.”

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