A POOLE teenager hopes to follow in the footsteps of his idol darts world champion Scott Mitchell, after joining the senior Dorset county squad.

Daniel Perry, 13, has already won the under-18s Southern Youth Championship and has been crowned Mill Rythe Spring Darts Festival under-14s champion six times.

Now he has his sights on taking on the adults and replicating Scott Mitchell, who won the BDO World Darts Champion title in January.

Daniel, from Hamworthy, said: “Scott has just advised me about changing my darts and also to stick to what you know.” He added that he loved the sport ‘because you make loads of friends’.

His parents, Richard and Trina, are also members of the senior Dorset County Darts Association.

Richard said that Daniel had just turned eight when he won his first youth competition and constantly practises, playing four nights a week but only after doing his homework.

In April, Daniel will be heading back to Wales for the British Inter-nationals, before going on to the World Darts Federation Europe Cup Youth, being held in Denmark in July.