Oldbury darts star set for UK Open

An amateur darts player from Oldbury will take on one of the world's best after beating hundreds of competitors to qualify for one of the sport's biggest tournaments.

Father-of-three Darren Pugh will swap his garage dartboard for a game on the big stage after winning a qualifying tournament to reach the UK Open in June.

The 45-year-old from Rood End will take on four-time World Championships semi-finalist Wayne Mardle at Bolton's Reebok Stadium in the tournament's biggest potential banana skin.

Keen pub player Pugh works as a storeman for event sponsors Speedy Hire UK and answered an appeal for employees to enter the qualifiers for a place in Bolton, with firm enlisting the help of 2004 BDO World Champion Andy Fordham to offer expert coaching.

Pugh, of Giles Road, said: "I was so nervous I can't begin to explain. I'm a huge darts fan but never thought in my wildest dreams that I would stand at the oche and qualify for one of the biggest tournaments in the sport.

"To have a world champion watching me in the process made it even more special.

"I have entered the qualifiers for the World Championships before but I've never really got past the preliminary stages."

Pugh plays weekly darts for the Bell Inn in Rood End and has passed on his talent for darts to sons James, aged 17, and Gareth, 13, who both play competitively. Gareth hit his first league 180 at the age of 11.

Dad said: "I used to play a lot of darts when I was younger but now I only play once a week on a Sunday morning.

"I have suffered with tennis elbow in my right arm, which I why I have cut back on my darts, but I have been practicing more since qualifying for this tournament and all seems OK."

Speedy's group marketing director Steve McIntyre said: "There is no other story like this in sport as far as we know.

"Darren came along, throw some darts and might now end up playing Phil 'The Power' Taylor and company.

"This is what the sponsorship is all about and we couldn't be more excited for him."