Darts youngsters toe the oche

8:00am Saturday 25th November 2006

THE future of darts is in young but safe hands at Andover - and people in the sport nationwide are beginning to look up and take notice.

Forward-thinking members of the Andover Invitation League launched a youth academy six months ago and it is being heralded a huge success across the country.

The Andover Youth Academy has a prestigious sponsor in Unicorn Darts, is backed by the local council and Hampshire police and is further supported by a major housing association.

Spokesman Glen Dawkins says coaches are regularly training and guiding up to 40 youngsters each week who have shown huge improvements in numeracy and literacy since taking the game seriously.

The youngsters meet at Andover's Entertainer pub which supplies a large bar free of charge at least once a week and bans smoking, swearing and alcohol - even to accompanying adults - during play and training sessions.

Proud youngsters from ten to 18 years old - soon to be extended to 21 years - wear their Unicorn-supplied shirts which include logos from Hampshire Community Police, Test Valley Borough Council and Testway 7s which is a sports initiative set up by Testway Housing Association.

Full story in today's Daily Echo