A second major darts exhibition in Ipswich has been announced after the inaugural star-studded Ipswich Masters at the Corn Exchange sold out in around 30 minutes this morning.

East Anglian Daily Times: Ipswich Masters. Picture: MODUS DartsIpswich Masters. Picture: MODUS Darts (Image: Archant)

Five-time world champion Raymond van Barneveld is headlining the Ipswich Masters and the 578 tickets for the event which went on sale at 9.30am today sold out in “just over half an hour”, an Ipswich Borough Council spokesman said.

The sold-out event is taking place on Saturday, December 5 – and now a second show for the Ipswich Masters is taking place on the following day, from 3.30pm to 6.45pm.

Tickets for the second event could go on sale later today or tomorrow morning, Ipswich Borough Council said.

Bryony Rudkin, culture portfolio-holder at Ipswich Borough Council, said: “We are thrilled that the darts masters has sold out so quickly and we have agreed a second show with the promoters for the next day.

“Ipswich Star readers have responded so positively to what will be a fantastic weekend for Ipswich and for the sport.”

The initial sporting spectacle will also feature Premier League stars James Wade and Ipswich’s own Mervyn King.

Dutch ace Vincent van der Voort, described as the world’s fastest player, world youth champion James Hubbard and three unnamed local qualifiers complete the line-up for the knockout tournament.

Details for the second event have not yet been released.

The tickets on sale today included 150 VIP tickets. VIP ticket-holders will meet and greet the players before the main doors open.

The eight participants will face each other in a straight knockout – from quarter-finals to the final. At the interval, some audience members could win the chance to get up on the stage and face one of the players.

The leading stars will use both Ipswich Masters events as a useful warm-up for the PDC World Championship, which starts on Saturday, December 12.