DARTS: BRIAN Dutton has been painting the town red since achieving the rare feat of becoming singles champion in both sections of the Widnes & District Darts League.

The self-employed painter and decorator won the 501 Individual and Weekly News Round The Board titles on Friday.

And the 43-year-old, who is married with three sons, has been taking the acclaim of his league colleagues.

Records secretary Mark Harrison said: 'The double has been done before. We think the last player to do it was Kevin Cartledge but that was a long while ago and it is a major feat by Brian.'

The new twin champion, who says he has had a lot of support from his team-mates and wife Carol, is no stranger to winning titles.

Dutton has twice captured the Alf Houghton Memorial Shield for RTB players in Division Two of the Widnes & District League.

He also plays in the Halton Stadium 301 League on Sundays and was its individual champion last year.

But, despite the high standard of darts he produced on his latest finals night, Dutton admits it isn't a case of practice makes perfect.

'I don't practice that much,' he says. 'I have been playing for years - my mum taught me in the house when I was seven or eight and it has just gone from there.

'I first started playing in the league when I was 18 at Simms Cross pub.'

He stayed with the Simmies for about six years but later joined the Doctors team.

But since the early 1990s, Dutton has played in Friday-night Karalius Bros RTB competition for RAOB.

And he joined Grapes three years ago as a founder member of their Cheshire Roof Trusses 501 team on Mondays.

He said: 'This has been my best season by far. I hadn't won either title before so to win the two on the same night was pretty special.

'I was a little nervous in the semi-final of the RTB Weekly News Individuals at the start of the evening. But after that, I seemed to settle down and everything went in.'

Dutton and all the other finals-night winners will be acclaimed at the W&DDL's July 8 presentation night at Halton Stadium Social Club.