Determined young darts player wins first senior match in honour of late mum

Eleanor Cairns, from Newton-le-Willows, has been playing darts for around seven years and hopes to make it her full-time profession.

Her mum Cath sadly died on Saturday, September 18 with an infection to her heart, something she only had for a few weeks but did not realise.

Cath was said to be Eleanor's "biggest supporter ever" who had been rooting for her to get into the Lancashire seniors team, a highly respected, mixed open-age team.

With this in mind, Eleanor was determined to play once she had been selected, and despite her heartache managed to achieve an amazing victory over Glamorgan in her first match.

Eleanor has been selected to play for Lancashire seniors darts team

Eleanor, a student at Cowley Sixth Form, said: "It was one of me and my mum's goals for me to play for the seniors and she would have killed me if I didn't play.

"I made my mind up to play as she was my biggest supporter ever and it's what she would have wanted."

Referencing her victory, she added: "It was just amazing."

After playing in pub leagues since she was 11, Eleanor has gone on to captain Lancashire youth team, represent England youth team and will now travel the country to play matches for Lancashire seniors.

Her dad Alex explained that the emotion of her victory in the circumstances was "unbelievable".

He said: "The fact that she was able to stand up on stage, play and win in those circumstances just took my breath away."

"She exceeded everyone's expectations and I'm just so proud".

Eleanor with Dad Alex, Mum Cath and brother Jack at one of her darts matches

Describing Eleanor, Alex added that she is a "lovely, quiet girl, just like her mum, but she comes alive when she's playing darts".

"All me and her mum want is for her to be happy and that's what she is when she's playing darts."

After the relatively sudden death of Cath, one of the "darts family" has created an online page to raise funds for the funeral costs of the much-loved mum.

To donate to the cause, visit this link