A giant mural of Ronnie O’Sullivan didn’t quite get the reaction the artist was hoping for.

Instead of wowing people with its likeness to the snooker ace, it’s left fans in hysterics and been compared to a ‘zombie’.

The 30ft-high mural appeared on the side of Spot On Snooker & Pool Club close to snooker’s famous Crucible Theatre in Sheffield, where the World Championships take place each year.

Club owner Dan Kirkland commissioned local artist Chris Ashmore to create the huge artwork ‘The Rocket’, which has taken more than six weeks and shows him leaning down for a shot with a cue.

But unfortunately for Ashmore, social media users have dubbed it ‘Monkey O’Sullivan’ on account of how the star’s facial features have been depicted.

Others branded it ‘terrifying’ and said it looked ‘like the corpse’ of the seven-time World Champion.

‘Didn’t know zombie snooker was a thing,’ asked one person.

‘That’s absolutely horrendous, just looks like the corpse of Ronnie O’Sullivan,’ quipped another.

Meanwhile, one fan joked: ‘I want a snooker player but I want him to look like he’s just returned from war.’

Others said the mural made 50-year-old O’Sullivan ‘look like a primate’.

‘Monkey O’Sullivan hits a banana shot to hit a maximum 147!’

Another fan said: ‘I thought this was AI until I went and saw it for myself. Absolutely p***ed myself when I saw it.

‘Best worst tribute to a sports star since the Ronaldo bust statue.’

Despite the online comments, Kirkland says he ‘loves’ the artwork, and the creator has insisted it’s not yet completed.

He said: ‘Chris is a fantastic artist who has done loads of work for us inside, recreating the Crucible Theatre as well as pictures of John Lennon, Bullseye and Freddie Mercury which hang on our walls.’

Defending the piece’s current state, he added: ‘We think some of the online comments are hilarious, but we must stress that the artwork is not quite finished, so it will look a little different by the time it is all done.

‘We love the painting so far; it’s unique and is a talking point, but then all good art should provoke discussion.’

Ashmore himself also brushed off the criticism, telling the BBC that ‘touch-ups’ are still needed.

‘I usually use a scissor lift, where you can stand back and see things as a whole, but I couldn’t use it, as the land is too uneven,’ he shared.

‘I saw people saying it looks like Michael Jackson or a zombie.

‘I’ve got thick skin; I’ll be OK, but it didn’t feel fair.’

Snooker star O’Sullivan is widely recognised as one of the game’s most talented players ever, having turned professional aged just 16.

As well as his seven World Championships, he’s won a record eight Masters titles and eight UK Championship titles, with a total of 23 Triple Crown titles, which is the most achieved by any player.

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