SCOTT Mitchell admitted he unintentionally goes into “panic mode” when working on the family farm ahead of the BDO World Championship.

The 47-year-old will face up against Lithuanian thrower Darius Labanauskas on Saturday week, in the first round at the Lakeside Country Club.

But the 2015 world champion admitted he was probably overcautious in his life away from the oche ahead of the biggest event of the calendar.

He said: “It’s a case of not injuring myself on the farm or doing anything silly.

“I don’t want to be trapping my hand or fingers, or cutting myself when cutting a bale of hay or silage.

“You start to go into panic mode about it. You start to be overprotective and that is when you knock yourself more times than often.”

Mitchell has enjoyed a sublime 2017 in which he captured five ranking titles, the most recent coming at the Czech Open in November.

Those victories have seen him top the World Darts Federation and England rankings.

With Lakeside around the corner, the avid Poole Pirates fan has been juggling fine-tuning his game with seeing family over Christmas.

And he admitted the balancing act between festivities and time on the practice board was something he found difficult.

“Christmas has been very different since qualifying for Lakeside in 2010,” added Mitchell. “For me, I want to get it done. It is just another obstacle in the way towards Lakeside.

“Also, you are meeting up with family and trying not to get ill. I take vitamins and have been for a while.

“I have flu jabs and everything because you can have the best season in the world but you don’t want to turn up full of cold.

“It is more of a hindrance than a help, that’s for sure.”

But with Scotty Dog going in search of his second world title, he admitted all of his preparation was worth the sacrifice when stepping out at the Frimley Green venue.

He added: “When you walk into Lakeside, the nostalgia for someone like me, who is a little bit older and has watched it for years, always makes the hairs on the back of your neck stand up.

“There is nowhere like it to play. It is just an unbelievable place to play darts.

“If you have won it, every time you go back it feels like going home.

“Hopefully I can add another star to my shirt this year, to get another one would be lovely.”

Last year’s winner, Middlesbrough’s Glen Durrant, is

favourite to retain the crown, while Finder Masters champion Danny Noppert is also fancied to do well.

Mitchell is listed as a third favourite with most leading bookmakers to record a second world title.