A TEENAGE darts player proved to be a cut above the rest when he won the Colchester Open at the Weston Homes Community Stadium.

Ryan Meikle, 16, scooped top prize at the home of the U’s when he defeated his close friend and current England under-18 international Arron Fairweather, of Leiston, in the final.

Ryan, of Knodishall, harbours his own ambitions of representing his country, having played for the North of England, but also has another string to bow as he trains to be a champion crimper at Paul Henri Aveda Concept Salon in Ipswich.

“Not a lot of darts players are into that kind of thing (hairdressing) and I do get a bit of stick about it.

“But I really enjoy what I do,” said Ryan.

I work quite long hours and I spend a lot of my spare time practising my darts.

“I have been playing since the age of eight or nine and I expected to get to the semi-finals or perhaps the final.

“Arron is a good friend, we practise together and we travel to a lot of tournaments together and we both have ambitions to succeed at the highest level possible in the game.”

Ryan, who plays for Aldeburgh, started playing the sport as a result of his dad, Andy, who plays for Homeguard.