Whoopee cushion halts Masters final between Stuart Bingham and Ali Carter

Stuart Bingham and Ali Carter endured an unwelcome distraction during the early stages of the Masters final at Alexandra Palace on Sunday.

The match was interrupted early in the fifth frame when both players became aware of repeated noises emanating from a section of the crowd.

According to reports, the noises came from a small device believed to have been pre-planted and operated remotely.

Commentating on the BBC, former world champion Dennis Taylor said: "I think it could be a whoopee cushion – not very funny at all."

After a short break, the match resumed with Bingham going on to establish a 5-3 lead heading into Sunday evening's concluding session.