A TRIVIA ace is fuming after being told to leave a Bournemouth pub because he won a prize on the quiz machine.

Paul Johnson scooped a £20 cash prize after playing the quiz machine for a few minutes at the Litten Tree on Old Christchurch Road.

But his quick success didn't go down well with the pub staff, who asked the quiz king to stop playing and get out, saying he was "spoiling it for other customers".

Paul, 43, told the Daily Echo: "I can't believe I was thrown out for winning just £20.

"Would someone have been kicked out of a pub for winning that amount of money on a fruit machine?"

And the self-confessed quiz addict says it's not the first time staff in pubs have complained about his winnings.

"I'm very good at pub trivia games, and I study for one or two hours every day," he said.

"But I do get problems from some landlords because I win on these machines."

After the incident at the Litten Tree, Paul wrote a letter of complaint to the Laurel Pub Company, which owns the bar on Old Christchurch Road.

But a Laurel spokesman told him: "You started to play the quiz machine and within a very short space of time of playing, you won £20 from only a £1 stake."

He said the pub manager then took it on himself to approach Paul and "request politely" that he finish the game and leave, "as staying on the machine could spoil it for other customers".

Teetotaller Paul, from Southampton, said: "I've been playing quiz machines for nearly 20 years. I suppose I'm addicted to them. Most landlords don't have a problem with me winning, but there's always one or two."

A statement issued on behalf of the Litten Tree said: "The gaming and quiz machines we have in our pubs and bars are provided for the enjoyment of our customers. To protect their interests and give everyone a fair chance of success, it is our company policy and normal industry practice to keep a look-out for anything which calls into question the validity of any win, and also to discourage players of a professional standard from playing the machines in our pubs.

"It is not fair on our other customers, who like to play them over a pint for a bit of fun and have the chance of winning a cash prize.

"In this particular case, the speed of scoring was highly unusual, which raised concerns with the pub manager, who acted in the interests of all his customers."

First published: April 12, 2006