DARTS: For Ipswich darts hero Mervyn King it is back to living out of a suitcase today. The 35-year-old had the nation on the edge of their seats last night as he came close to winning the Embassy World Darts Championship at the Lakeside club, Frimley Green.

By Elvin King

FOR Ipswich darts hero Mervyn King it is back to living out of a suitcase today.

The 35-year-old had the nation on the edge of their seats last night as he came close to winning the Embassy World Darts Championship at the Lakeside club, Frimley Green.

He was beaten 6-4 by Australian Tony David in a pulsating match shown live on BBC television – after showing

considerable courage in fighting back from 5-1 down.

King, a former Chantry School pupil who worked for a number of local companies before becoming self- employed in the building trade in the town, leaves his luxury Surrey hotel today to return to the road.

"I live out of a suitcase for most of the time," said King today. "I leave for Holland on Thursday and will be based there until next month."

'Merv the Swerve', as he is known on the darts circuit, took up the sport when he was 12 with his father, Michael, the inspiration.

His parents live in Pimpernel Road, Ipswich and the man who picked up £28,000 for his efforts at the Lakeside Club still spends time in the town.

Dad and mum, Marian, were beside the oche supporting their son all last week as he manfully battled his way through to the final.

"I shall be back here next January aiming to go one better," said King. "I did not feel right yesterday. I could tell when I was warming up that the darts were not falling as they had in the

earlier rounds.

"I was still confident I had enough in me to beat Tony. He played well and full marks to him, but I was unable to make the start I wanted and this left me with too much ground to make up."

Keith Deller, who won this title in 1983, was also from Chantry estate, but King said that he had no connections with the player who is still a professional and now lives in west Suffolk.

"My father was my inspiration along with the likes of Eric Bristow," continued King. "My dad played pub darts all over Suffolk and if there had been county rankings in his prime he would have been in the top two."

Deller now plays in the rival Skol World Championship, but King said: "There is only one true world

championship – and it is the officially recognised Embassy event."