Former snooker world champion Shaun Murphy is looking forward to the English Open at the Metrodome next week while the people of Barnsley are encouraged to attend the top event.

The tournament, which runs from Monday until the following Sunday, will also feature the likes of current world champion Mark Selby, Judd Trump, Neil Robertson, John Higgins, Jimmy White as well as the sport's biggest star in five-time world champion Ronnie O'Sullivan.

They will all be hoping to win the first 'Home Nations' event and put themselves in a position to claim £1million by also winning the Welsh Open in Cardiff, the Scottish Open in Glasgow and the Northern Ireland Open in Belfast.

The event in Barnsley, which will be broadcast live on Eurosport, is the biggest ever in the town after the Metrodome hosted several qualifying events in recent years.Approximately 1,500 tickets have been sold so far with some sessions close to selling out.

Murphy, who is the world number five and was world champion in 2005, said: "It's fantastic for Barnsley to have this event.  All the other Home Nations events are in massive cities in their respective countries but Barnsley has been chosen to represent England.

"The eyes of the snooker world will be on Barnsley, with it being live on Eurosport, and it's a chance for the town to show itself in a good light with a good event and some big crowds. I am sure that, if it goes well, then the English Open could stay there.

"I have enjoyed playing at the Metrodome in the past and it's good that it has been chosen for its biggest event. There are always good crowds there for qualifiers so hopefully there will be even more people there for this event.

"I lived in Rotherham for three years so I know South Yorkshire people are very passionate about snooker and a knowledgeable crowd. Barnsley people have the chance to watch the best snooker players in the world for a week.

"I am sure there are lots of people in the area who go to The Crucible in Sheffield for the World Championships every year and so this won't be too far away for them as well."

There will be sessions at 10am, 1pm, 4.30pm and 7pm from Monday to Thursday. The quarter-finals then take place on Friday followed by the semi-finals on Saturday and final on Sunday. Monday afternoon sees two big names meet when White takes on Mark Allen with Trump and reigning champion Liang Wenbo also in action.Higgins and Murphy both begin on Monday evening while Selby is in action on Tuesday at 1pm followed that night by O'Sullivan and Robertson.

More details: www.worldsnooker.com.