Luke Littler: Darts sensation hopes to inspire next generation

Teenage darts sensation Luke Littler has spoken of his hopes to inspire the next generation of young players.

He fell just short of becoming the sport's youngest world champion aged 16 when he recently lost the PDC World Darts Championship final.

'Luke the Nuke' has just won the Bahrain Masters but came home to Warrington, Cheshire, to celebrate his 17th birthday with a Chinese meal.

He also visited St Helens Darts Academy where he first started playing aged 10.

Littler met 87 young darts players during the surprise visit at the Merseyside academy after his whirlwind world final debut.

"It's been crazy," he told BBC North West Today during the visit:.

The teenager spoke to his former coach during his visit to St Helens Darts Academy

"It's great to come here to see so many kids. When I came in, their faces lit up and I signed a lot of things."

He said Phil Taylor and Michael van Gerwen were the players that inspired his own generation.

"Hopefully I can win titles and inspire these kids," he added.

The teenager has said it is "nice to come home" and be back to "some sort of normality" despite his worldwide fame.

• Littler beats Van Gerwen in Bahrain Masters final

• Luke Littler - the 16-year-old darts sensation

"I can't do anything about it, my life has changed," he said.

"I will just get on with it. This is what I do, I love playing darts".

The Manchester United fan admitted he does not practise much "as I get bored on my own".

"I think I have the ability to go to the venue, have an hour practising and then go on stage."

Luke Littler in action in the final of the Paddy Power World Darts Championship at Alexandra Palace

The darts sensation celebrated his 17th birthday on Sunday with a trip to a restaurant.

"I just chilled out and had a nice Chinese with my family," he said.

"No-one can get me anything because I can get it myself."

Littler said he is looking forward to learning to drive now that he has turned 17, so that his agent and father do not have to take him to tournaments.

"It's going to be a big thing, it saves my agent and my dad driving me.

"They can put their feet up on the dashboard rather than me doing it," he said.

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