Happy 18th birthday, Luke Littler

Luke Littler turns 18 today, but instead of a big birthday bash he says he will be having a small celebration with family.

The darts champ says he got the "best early birthday present" earlier this month when he won the World Championship becoming the youngest world champion at 17.

It was the end of an amazing first year on the Professional Darts Corporation Tour where he also won the Premier League and the Grand Slam of Darts.

And although 18 is a major birthday, Littler hasn't much time to party.

He travels to Den Bosch in the Netherlands for the Dutch Darts Masters later this week before the World Masters at the end of the month and the Premier League starting in February.

"I haven't got anything planned really because there is a lot of darts around this time," he explained.

"I will probably just do something at home before the crazy schedule starts. But I gave myself the best early birthday present by winning the Worlds."

Littler was named second in the BBC Sports Personality of the Year and won Young Sports Personality of the year.

A surge of interest in the game has been put down to the 'Luke Littler effect', with darts clubs saying young people especially have shown an interest thanks to his success.