John Higgins became the first player since 2012 to make a maximum 147 break at the World Championship in Sheffield.

Four-time world champion Higgins joined an illustrious list after achieving the feat in his second-round match against Kurt Maflin.

Here, the PA news agency takes a closer look at previous Crucible maximums.

1983: Cliff Thorburn

Canadian Thorburn claimed the honour of the maiden Crucible 147 – and the first to be televised – during his second-round meeting with Terry Griffiths. The 1980 world champion, who went on to lose the final to Steve Davis, pocketed £13,000.

1992: Jimmy White

Sheffield had to wait a further nine years to witness another. Perennial runner-up White, en route to the fourth of his six unsuccessful finals, produced the only maximum of his career in the first round against Tony Drago.

1995: Stephen Hendry

Hendry established himself as the undisputed King of the Crucible during the 1990s, winning seven titles during the decade. A World Championship 147 break proved elusive until he did so against rival White in the 1995 semi-finals.

1997: Ronnie O'Sullivan

Requiring just five minutes and eight seconds, O'Sullivan's maiden Crucible maximum remains the quickest. He averaged around eight seconds per shot during a sensational effort against Mick Price, securing £147,000 in prize money.

2003: Ronnie O'Sullivan

Six years later, O'Sullivan became the first man to make two Crucible 147s, albeit in bittersweet fashion. After making history in his first-round meeting with Marco Fu, he was swiftly brought back down to earth as he crashed out 10-6.

2005: Mark Williams

Three-time champion Williams added his name to the Crucible history books during a first-round meeting with Robert Milkins. He remains the only Welshman on the list after taking around nine minutes to clear the table.

2008: Ronnie O'Sullivan

Williams was on the receiving end three years later as eventual winner O'Sullivan came back for more. 'The Rocket', working towards the third of his five world titles, sealed a 13-7 win with the maximum, which he later described as the best of his career.

2008: Ali Carter

Just one day after O'Sullivan's efforts, Carter repeated the feat. Alongside White, two-time runner-up Carter is the only player to have managed a maximum and never won the title. He did so in his quarter-final win over Peter Ebdon, before losing the final 18-8 to O'Sullivan.

2009: Stephen Hendry

Hendry moved 5-2 ahead in his quarter-final with Shaun Murphy after his second Crucible maximum. The Scot hailed a "tremendous feeling" during the interval but the joy was cut short by an eventual 13-11 loss.

2012: Stephen Hendry

One of snooker's all-time greats, Hendry's Crucible career ended in style. His third Sheffield maximum, which emulated O'Sullivan's achievement, came on the opening day of the tournament against Stuart Bingham. Stephen Maguire ended Hendry's final World Championship appearance in the last eight.