Fundraiser tops target for Sussex darts player who died during match

Billingshurst player Tony Ayres died suddenly on November 27 after suffering a heart attack while at a county darts competition.

Friend and fellow darts player Nigel Wakefield set up a GoFundMe page to help support Tony’s wife Kerri, son Chris and daughter Chelsea.

Nigel said: “Tony was a close friend to myself and many fellow darts players.

“He was the player you always wanted to watch but never wanted to be drawn against.

“He played darts for Sussex, The Kings Arms and more recently the Kings Head in Billingshurst and was a well known and much loved character.”

The fundraiser raised more than £2,000 within days of being launched and has now topped £5,100.

H&W Dart League’s officials said in an earlier statement: “One of the greatest players to grace our league has suddenly passed away.

“Tony Ayres was doing what he did the best, playing darts for Sussex when he suddenly had a massive heart attack that he could not recover from.”

As a mark of respect, the league’s A Division singles competition is to be renamed The Tony Ayres Cup.