Crafty Cockney Eric Bristow takes on his fans

Darts legend Eric Bristow MBE joined players at a Black Country pub for its official reopening after being refurbished.

The Crafty Cockney, five-times World Champion and four-times runner-up, joined fellow darters for an exhibition game at the Royal Oak in Meeting Street, Wednesbury.

The pub reopened after a three-month facelift paid for by brewery Black Country Ales. Darts players from the brewery's 27 pubs in the region had taken part in a month-long knockout to see who would play Bristow on Saturday night.

And four Black Country darters came out on top of Bristow on the night including father-of-three Steve Bladon, aged 46, who plays for the Royal Oak, along with pub team mates Lee Arnold and Gary Grace.

Mr Bladon, of Darlaston, said: "I'm chuffed, he's a legend. He was one of my heroes, as was John Lowe. I'm darts mad and I'm so glad I got to have a go at playing him."

Alan Melling, of the Duke of Cambridge in Willenhall also pipped the icon, who turned darts into a spectator event by dominating the sport on TV throughout the 1980s.

Licensee Carl "Teff" Micklewright's own love of darts shone through as the Royal Oak boasts 11 teams. Mr Micklewright, who runs the pub with partner Debbie Loon, said: "It's a great boost for the pub having Bristow."

"If it weren't for him darts would never have been in the spotlight, he was the first really famous name before anyone had ever heard of Phil "The Power" Taylor."

Bristow, who has lived in Leek in Staffordshire for the last 32 years, said he was more than happy to enjoy "a night with the boys".

The 53-year-old father-of-two, who was due to fly out to Prague for a world-ranking event on Wednesday, added: "It's a fun night and I used to play round here years ago."