ENTRIES have been flooding in for the second Amber Taverns St Helens Darts Open which takes place at Our Lady’s Social Club, Parr, next month.

Already more than 65 people have signed up for the main event on Saturday, January 24 – and that is sure to swell after what will be a massive month for darts with a limit being set at 128.

With prize money guaranteed at a minimum of £300 for the winner, £150 for the runner up and £70 for the beaten semi finalists, darters have been enlisting from beyond the St Helens boundaries.

There are some high calibre entrants too with last year’s winner – the former Junior World Champion and current PDC ranked 22 – Michael Smith already enlisted.

As it is an open competition anyone can enter and last year around 100 entrants were swelled by people from outside St Helens, including some from Bolton’s darting fraternity.

Organiser Neil Devlin has put a lot of time and effort into getting the open off the ground and is looking forward to a good tournament.

He said: “We will get a few people who will turn up, play a game and watch the rest of it.”

Last year’s competition went well and Smith won it after beating John Murnan in the final and Alan Tabern en route.

Devlin added: “Former World Grand Prix quarter finalist Mark Hylton has registered to play.

“So too have Super League players Eddie Dootson, Terry Allen and former World Championship contender Gary Welding.

“Widnes Super League player John Bowles will also be coming over.”

With eight boards on the go, it will be a hive of activity from the first dart at 1pm to the final match around 6.45pm.

Registration, costing £5, is from 11am, with the draw at 12.30pm and starts at 1pm.

To register or for more details visit sthelensdarts.co.uk, call or text Neil on 07967 752207 or email ndev2k@gmail.com.

As well as this event the Fleet Lane venue will also be hosting the Youth Open for under 18s and a Ladies Open the following Saturday, January 31.

Entry fee for both of those events is £3 but the contact details are the same as above.