ALL eyes were on the North-East's newest sporting hero, Phill 'The Ferryhill Flyer' Nixon last night as he embarked on the biggest match of his career.

A place in the semi-finals of the BDO world darts championship was at stake and nowhere was the atmosphere more electrifying than at his family home in Ferryhill, County Durham. Catherine Jewitt reports.

SURROUNDED by silverware and good luck cards - Nixy's three sons and half-a-dozen friends find a space in front of the television.

As he struts into the packed Lakeside venue, in Frimley Green, Surrey, to the Queen track We Will Rock You, youngest sons - David and Craig cheer him up to the oche.

Eldest son John, 28, presses play on the video recorder as together they all scream - 'Let's Play Darts!' Their dad, who has played arrows for 33 years and tried to qualify for a world championship repeatedly throughout the last two decades, is on television in one of the sport's biggest tournaments.

David, eight, said: "Its pretty exciting. He has played for England with all the really good players so doesn't get wound up, but we're nervous.

"He was practising like hell before he went so I know he can win it."

Classmates at Cleves Cross Primary School, in Ferryhill, told the boys their dad is the best. A teacher said he was cooking on gas.

They already know that.

Craig, nine, said: "He's getting too good - he needs a new scrapbook for all the stuff in the papers about him."

Nixon makes a great start to the match, every dart he throws gets a cheer - even the ones that bounce off the board and land on the floor.

His Scottish opponent is shaky and Nixon storms into a 4-1 lead. The first to five sets wins.

But the braveheart fights on and miraculously draws level, taking the match to a nail-biting finish.

Eyes locked on the television screen, Craig whispers: "They are both sweating a bit now, so am I."

Chances come and go, doubles just wont go in, but just as it looks as though he has blown his chance Nixon lands his last arrow in the centre double-top to take the match 5-4.

As if he has practised it a thousand times, Craig treats guests to a victory dance and David hugs them all.

The cheers are deafening.

"I warned the neighbours we would be noisy, I hope they've been watching so they understand why," said John.

And they were.

The boys barely have time to catch their breath when the front door bursts open and neighbours flood in to join the celebrations.

John, Craig and David didn't expect to speak to Phill before bed because they thought he would be having a deserved drink.

But they'll be on the telephone first thing this morning wishing him luck before they have it all to do again.