Harry Lane wasn’t going to throw away the chance of making it to the UK Darts Open Finals the second time - having messed up before.

The 30-year-old from Sheerness will play in the Finals on Friday after becoming one of 16 UK qualifiers from events run in Riley’s sports bars across the country. He won the London Victoria competition to book himself a place among the darts elite.

It wasn’t the first time he had made it to a qualifier Final - but this time he got it right.

He said: “I lost in the Final for a chance to go through around 12 years ago. I tried a couple of times since then but then this time I have come good. It was down to absolute determination.

“Last time I beat all the best players there to get to the Final and thought I had already won it, then I messed it up.

“This time it was about concentrating and getting it done.”

Known as the ‘FA Cup of Darts’, the UK Open sees amateurs mixing with the top professionals. The prestigious Finals weekend is taking place at Butlin’s, Minehead and is being screened live on ITV4.

Top-ranked players include Kent’s Rob Cross (sixth) and Ross Smith (16th) but they won’t compete until the later rounds of the £600,000 tournament, as the 128 tour card holders will have a staggered entry into the competition. The top players enter at the Fourth Round on Friday night.

Lane - in great form - is determined to show what he can do. He has been drawn to face Czech Republic’s Karel Sedlacek in the First Round.

He said: “I feel like I can go further but it is what me turns up on the day.

“I am happy to have got there but now I am thinking about going further. It is hard to get there but once you are there it is no point just turning up.

“I feel like my best game can beat those players and I am on form. I’ve put pressure on myself because I think I should at least compete.”

His idols include the legendary Dutchman Raymond van Barneveld and James Wade - a player he once took two legs off during his younger days.

Lane took a break from darts during his 20s, having enjoyed plenty of success as a teenager. He was quick to get back to winning ways on his return, now aged 30 and with four young children to keep him occupied away from the oche.

He plays Super League darts in the county and is among the top players for averages while he also clinched the singles title in the Sheppey League.

“Hopefully that form can continue this weekend,” he added.

First-Round winners bank £1,000 and that’s more or less doubled for each round through to the Final, where £100,000 is on offer for the winner.