World number three Mark Williams crashed out of snooker’s UK Championship following a second-round upset against Michael White.

Williams, a two-time winner of this competition and three-time world champion, suffered a surprise 6-2 defeat to his fellow Welshman in York.

White, ranked 62nd in the world, took five of the opening six frames with 50-plus breaks before completing the job after Williams’ knock of 102 made it 5-2.

Michael White, pictured, will meet Mark Davis in the next round
Michael White, pictured, will meet Mark Davis in the next round (Richard Sellers/PA)

The 28-year-old has now beaten Williams in each of their four meetings at ranking events and will next face Mark Davis, who won 6-4 against China’s Fan Zhengyi.

“I scored more or less every chance I got, I thought. I felt like I timed the ball lovely, my safety was good,” White told Eurosport.

“When he won the frame after the mid-session to go 4-1, which I probably should have won, I had to go out to the toilet and regroup a bit because I’ve been struggling a bit and it’s never easy to get over the line.

“To be honest, the first round was a bigger game for me because of all the first-round exits I’ve had, it was massive, with the prize money, the points. I’ve slipped down so far, I’m fighting for my tour card this year.

“I went into tonight a bit more relaxed, I wanted to enjoy it, and that’s when I play my best, when I’m just relaxed and carefree.”

Meanwhile, China’s Liang Wenbo secured an emotional victory over David Grace, just hours after landing back in England having flown home to arrange his mother’s funeral.

The 2015 finalist, whose mother died on Tuesday – the day of his first-round win over Dominic Dale, sealed a 6-3 success with a break of 90 to set up a match with Eden Sharav.

World number one Judd Trump encountered few problems in his match with Mei Xiwen, cruising through 6-1.

The reigning world champion progressed to a match with veteran Nigel Bond, who edged past Louis Heathcote 6-5.

Top 20 players Ding Junhui and Ali Carter will meet in a mouthwatering third-round clash after each enjoying 6-2 victories.

Ding overcame Michael Georgiou, while two-time world championship runner-up Carter saw off Robert Milkins.

Four-time world champion John Higgins, Stephen Maguire and Jack Lisowski were among the other players to safely progress.

John Higgins enjoyed a straightforward win
John Higgins enjoyed a straightforward win (Richard Sellers/PA)

Higgins, winner of this tournament in 1998, 2000 and 2010, saw off Lu Ning 6-1, fellow Scot Maguire beat Northern Irishman Jordan Brown 6-2, and world number 13 Lisowski defeated 2006 UK Championship winner Peter Ebdon 6-2.

Scotland’s Graeme Dott cruised past Yuan Sijun in a 6-0 win and will next play compatriot Maguire.

Elsewhere, world number 18 Gary Wilson was denied a maximum 147 break after missing the black ball on 97 in the sixth frame of his 6-4 success over Chris Wakelin.

In Sunday’s other matches, China’s Yan Bingtao defeated Stuart Carrington 6-2, while Kurt Maflin and Martin O’Donnell each won by the same scoreline, beating Jimmy Robertson and Ricky Walden respectively. Joe Perry beat Thailand’s Sunny Akani 6-3.