AMATEUR darts ace Tony Martin has booked an appearance at one of the sport’s biggest competitions.

The Ellesmere Port resident, who is married to top women’s player Anastasia Dobromyslova, qualified for the UK Open – known as the ‘FA Cup of darts’ – at Old Trafford.

He will take his place on the oche at the Reebok Stadium in Bolton for the finals of the tournament on June 6.

Tony, 31, said: “This was a big night for me, and has given me the shove I need to get back on track.

“It means the world to me.”

Overcome with emotion, mental health project officer Tony could not wait to get on the phone and tell wife Anastasia – a three-time women’s world champion – the good news.

Tony is a former BDO young player of the year and he met his Russian wife while competing at a tournament in Holland.

He made it to the first round of the BDO World Darts Championship at Lakeside in 2005 and also played in the 2007 UK Open.

Tony was one of eight qualifiers to emerge from the Old Trafford event, one of four organised across the country by UK Open sponsors Speedy Services.

Each player had to throw 15 darts in a bid to score one of the highest 16 cumulative totals, with those 16 players then playing off over the best of three legs of 501 to win a place at the Open.

Tony scored the fifth highest total of 498 with 15 darts to take him through to the last 16. He then overcame schoolboy Callum Loose to seal his place in the tournament.

At Old Trafford, 2008 BDO world champion Mark Webster was on hand to offer expert advice and he was extremely impressed with the quality on show.

The UK Open will be shown live on Sky Sports.