GWENT snooker ace Darren Morgan returns to the scene of one of his greatest triumph next week when he takes part in the World Masters in India.

It is 27 years since Morgan won the IBSF World Amateur Championships with an 11-4 victory over Malta's Joe Grech in the final in Bangalore.

Now, after vowing he would not return to the Indian city because 'it held so many great memories', he is flying there for the first time in 27 years with the Welsh team to try and add to the other World Masters titles he has won since retiring from the professional game ten years ago.

Morgan said: "I have not been to Bangalore since 1987. I have turned down a couple of trips there because I did not want it to sour my memories of the World Championships.

"I did go to Hyderabad in2009 (for the World Championships)and won the World Masters so it is a lucky place for me - I have been there twice and won twice."

And the draw to return to the scene of his world title, which launched his professional career that saw Morgan reach a high of number eight on the ranking list, a World Championship semi-final against Jimmy White at the Crucible and a number of titles, was too much to resist.

Newbridge-based Morgan, who has become a successful and busy businessman as managing director of a clothing company in Cross Keys, said: "I was not going to do it this year and just stop playing. When it was announced that the tournament was going to be in Bangalore, I thought 'what a great place to be when I stop'. It will mean I have gone full circle.

"Twenty-seven years after the event, it is great to go back there and play again."

Morgan has won nearly twenty titles in IBSF World and European tournaments since stepping down from the paid ranks ten years ago.

He added: "I think there are still a lot of people in Bangalore who are involved in snooker and were there 27 years ago. I have had emails to say they will look forward to seeing me.

"When I won it, they made a massive fuss of me so it will be interesting to see these people again and interesting to see how Bangalore has progressed and changed since 1987."

The IBSF World Championships start on Tuesday (November 18 ) and ends on Saturday November 29. It involves the men's World Amateur Championships along with the women's version of the world title event and the World Masters for the veterans.

And it is no small prize for winning a title. Should Morgan take the Masters again, he will pick-up a cheque for $3,200 (US dollars) which is just over £2,000.