Youngsters turn out for the BDO Festival

The city's Sports Arena staged the event with young throwers, some who had travelled from all over Europe, taking part over two days, writes Craig Birch.

Ultimately, the West Midlands prospects came up short in their quest to land spots at the qualifiers for the World Masters and the World Championship, the latter staged at Lakeside.

Stafford's Danny Key managed to get himself in the money but top honours eluded him, while Wednesfield's Owen Maiden also earned some cash.

Play began on day one with the first Under-18 Youth Challenge, operating under first to three rules, one of three tournaments during the opening session.

Key was a stand-out performer as he surged to the semi-finals of Group One in style, with three whitewashes on the way.

This year's Welsh Darts Open Boys champion, aged 17, began with a 3-1 victory over Adam Howard, before 3-0 verdicts over Ben Forrest, Jamie Knayston and Reece Colley.

That set up a meeting with eventual winner Josh Richardson, who went on to claim the £400 top earnings and a Masters opportunity. He was shut out 3-0, taking home £100 as a semi-finalist.

Wolverhampton duo Jordan Singh and Maiden took part in Group Two, Key's England Open conqueror Maiden picking up £50 for reaching the quarter-finals.

Maiden pushed Richardson but lost 3-2, after 3-1 wins over Jack Seymour and Mark Lloyd and a 3-0 drubbing of Declan Cox. Singh went out in the first round, 3-1 to Daniel Green.

The Youth Challenge event for players 18-25, offering Masters and Lakeside places plus £1,000, was won by Belgian Kenny Neyens, after a 4-2 success over Aaron Dyer in best-of-seven.

Telford's Sam Hamilton and Sam Guest reached the last 16, the latter beating Rhys Griffin in the last leg 3-2 after a bye. He then lost 3-0 to Scot Andrew Davidson.

Wednesfield cohort Ash Khayat didn't make it past the first hurdle, the same fate which befell Wednesbury's Matthew Dicken and Albrighton's Anthony West.

The female version at 18-25 was won by Wales' Katie Bellerby, by virtue of a dramatic 4-3 triumph over England's Stacey Ellis.

Darters returned to the venue for day two, with the second heats of the boy's and seniors' competitions plus a British Teenage Mixed Singles tournament.

Key went one better his line-up and came within a game of glory, this time Callum Rydz seeing him off 4-2 as the format went up to best-of-seven for the final.

Another hat-trick of whitewashes came Key's way over Welsh duo Coby-Jones Swanson and Jordan Thomas, plus Holland's Lars Franssen, after a 3-1 opener over Connor Lovett.

A see-saw semi-final clash against Chris Gower went his way 3-2, before Rydz dashed his hopes. He gained £200 as the losing finalist.

Maiden was defeated 3-1 by Richardson, who would later be stunned by Rydz, in the first round. Singh beat Tavis Dudeney 3-1, before going down the opposite way to Nick Stephenson.

Dicken made the 18-25 quarter-finals, before bowing out 3-1 to David Carr. He had overcome Scott Hutchinson, Daniel Cole and Davidson by 3-0, 3-1 and 3-1 score-lines respectively.

Khayat thrashed Andrew Clark 3-0, before a keenly-contested 3-2 loss to McCarthy. Guest and Hamilton were eliminated in the first round.

Key also reached the last 16 of the Teenage Mixed Singles, while Maiden reached the 32. It closed a busy weekend for the pair.