Two people have been arrested after Just Stop Oil protesters disrupted the evening session of the World Snooker Championship in Sheffield.

A man wearing a “Just Stop Oil” T-shirt interrupted the match between Robert Milkins and Joe Perry at the Crucible Theatre by jumping onto one of the tables and tipping out orange powder.

A woman was prevented from executing a similar stunt on the other table by the referee Olivier Marteel.

South Yorkshire Police said a 25-year-old man and a 52-year-old woman were arrested on suspicion of criminal damage and are in police custody.

The force said in a statement: “Two people were detained after protesters gained entry to The Crucible earlier this evening.

“A 25-year-old man and a 52-year-old woman were arrested on suspicion of criminal damage. Both are in police custody.”

Play was suspended for the evening on the affected table, which will be re-covered overnight.

It is the second time in three days that a major international sporting event has been disrupted, after 118 people were arrested at Aintree on Saturday as they tried to scale the perimeter fence at the Grand National.

Just Stop Oil also issued a statement which said: “At around 7.20pm, two Just Stop Oil supporters have disrupted the World Snooker Championship at the Crucible Theatre in Sheffield, interrupting play.

“The pair proceeded to cover the tables in orange powder paint before being removed by security and arrested.

“They are demanding that the Government immediately stop all new UK fossil fuel projects and are calling on UK sporting institutions to step into civil resistance against the Government’s genocidal policies.”