TOP flight darts stars including world champion Phil Taylor could be on their way back to Kidderminster next year after organisers and players described the Glades Arena as a "fantastic venue" for Premier League darts.

A capacity crowd of 650 fans packed into the Bromsgrove Street leisure centre for the latest stage of the tournament which features seven of the game's biggest names.

The event, in association with the Shuttle/Times & News, was the fastest selling in the venue's history.

With the tournament screened live on SkySports, the crowd, who had flocked to the town from all across the country, generated an electric atmosphere during all four of last Thursday's matches.

Taylor, who has won the world title 12 times, was full of praise for the venue and the spectators. He said: "The atmosphere was very good and there were a lot of people enjoying themselves. There were a few rowdy ones, but that's nothing you don't get anywhere else.

"There were a few shouting and bawling, but if I'd have been watching some of the darts being thrown tonight, I'd have been shouting and bawling too, so God bless them."

Taylor revealed he had played exhibition matches in Kidderminster several times during his career and insisted he always received a warm welcome from people in the town.

"I've been to Kiddy a few times and I always enjoy coming here," he added. "It's a small town but tonight it was heaving and it's great to see people who enjoy their darts coming out to watch it live."

Taylor and his fellow players, Colin Lloyd, Mark Dudbridge, Wayne Mardle, John Part, Roland Scholten and Peter Manley took time out from the action to mingle with supporters, pose for pictures and sign autographs.

The Glades is in line to host the event again next year after the success of the darts night and the Premier League snooker tournament earlier in the year.

Professional Darts Corporation media officer, Dave Allen, said: "It's been an excellent venue. Although it's one of the smallest we've been to it's gone really well.

"The crowd have had a fantastic time by the look of it and we've had some great darts as well.

"We've done quite a few in the leisure centre-type arena and the atmosphere it generates is brilliant.

"There's no reason why Kidderminster shouldn't be used as a venue next year," he added.

Lloyd closed the gap on Taylor at the top of the league by beating Scholten 7-5 and Manley 8-4.

Taylor kept his nerve to overcome Part 8-4, while Dudbridge defeated Mardle by the same scoreline.

Birthday treat for Sarah

THE Shuttle/Times and News helped provide a birthday treat for one Kidderminster darts fan.

Sarah Barber, of Habberley estate, had only seen her darts hero, Wayne Mardle, on television before Thursday night.

But as it was her 26th birthday, we fixed it for her to meet the Londoner and have a souvenir picture taken with him.

Sarah, who is captain of the Prince Albert in the Stourport Ladies Darts League and also plays for the Coopers Arms in the Kidderminster League, was thrilled.

"Wayne is my hero, and even though he lost, he was lovely. Later in the evening I met him again with some of the other players in the bar and they were all really friendly," she said.