GOOD luck messages are pouring in for 16-year-old St Helens Darts Academy graduate Luke Littler ahead of tonight's World Darts Championship.

The arrows ace, who lives in Warrington, faces Luke Humphries, his fellow Englishman 12 years his senior and the new world number one, at the Alexandra Palace.

Littler’s incredible run to the World Championship final at the age of 16 has transcended events on the oche and shocked the entire sporting world.

Even esteemed French sports publication L’Equipe, a title not known for its darts coverage, devoted space to hail the teenage sensation after his semi-final demolition of former world champion Rob Cross at Alexandra Palace on Tuesday evening.

Messages of support have been led by the St Helens Darts Academy - with the players and committee "so proud of" him.

Academy co-founder Karl Holden says it is no overnight success story.

'He's been coming here since he was nine'

“He has been coming here since he was nine. We are all very proud,” Holden said.

“When he first came as a kid you could see he was very special and he just got better and better. Every year he was a bit better than the last.

“We put him up to the Under-14s when he was nine, but three months after that he was smashing all them to bits.

“He hardly lost so we said, ‘What do we now?’ We put him into the elite group, which is our best players, and he had just turned 10.”

St Helens Darts Academy members are planning a party at their Sidac Social Club base in Sutton Leach, where there has been huge media interest.

He could win men's tournaments at 13 or 14

Holden added: “Obviously he puts a lot of hours in and we had to tell him to stop coming as he was so good.

“He needed to be playing at a better standard. He was good enough to win men’s tournaments at 13 or 14. And he did. His ability is second to none.

“The best players reach a level in their twenties that he’s reached at 16.

“We’ve produced some good players. Probably about 40 county players, but Luke is something else.

“We’re all behind Luke. It’s not just St Helens.

READ MORE: 'The battle of the two Lukes in the World Darts Championship final

“Luke is a Warrington man through and through, a big Wire (Warrington rugby league) supporter, and the whole of Warrington is right behind him.”

Littler is known as ‘Luke The Nuke’ and the sale of darts with his name on has exploded in St Helens and Warrington.

Darts fever

Darts fever has hit North West England with the locals rallying around Littler.

Peter Galvin, of St Helens, said: “It is an unbelievable story. When I’ve known he’s been playing I’ve switched on and watched. Playing against someone of (Raymond) Van Barneveld’s stature and beating him was incredible.

“It’s a great story. He’s 16 and could become world champion, beating all those seasoned professionals .

“To have come from nowhere. We’d never heard of him before. It’s the ultimate underdog story isn’t it?”

Bocboc based in Eccleston, which sponsored the Academy's Youth Open competition in previous years shared a picture from 2016 when Luke came runner up in the under 10- to 13 compeition.

The venue posted on Instagram: "We just wanted to say a huge congratulations and good luck to this very talented lad and also make everyone aware of the mazing darts academy set up the wonderful Karl and Dawn."