Hartlepool darts player, 13, proves he is one of the country's top high flyers after debut in national championships

Thirteen-year-old Callum Beddow has spent this summer playing in the JDC (Junior Darts Corporation) Advanced Tour, in Gloucestershire, open to the top 32 players in the country.

It was his first time playing in the tour after earning his place by qualifying.

After 12 events played over six weekends, Callum scored enough points to secure his automatic place on the tour next year.

He is one of the youngest players on the tour, which is billed as “preparing the next generation for professional darts.”

Callum’s dad, Paul Beddow, said: “He qualified by one leg of 501 points so it was very tight.

"In the last tour’s first event he was 3-0 down but came back to win 4-3. If he hadn’t done that he wouldn’t have got his tour card for next year.”

There will be more prize money to play for next year and being on the tour automatically secures his entry into the Junior World Championship in Gibraltar in November when he will take on teenagers up to 18 years old.

Callum started playing darts on a magnetic board when he was just three years old and upgraded to a real darts board at five.

By eight he was playing for the county but still needed a step to retrieve his darts from the board.

Callum, who attends English Martyrs School, was diagnosed as being on the autism spectrum when he was aged around six years.

But Paul said darts has really helped him to grow and challenge himself.

Paul added: “In the last three months things have moved on quite a lot and his game has got a lot stronger as well.

"As it was his first time on the Advanced Tour we went into it expecting not too much.

"It’s worked out really well. He is a well liked kid on the tour. He got some really good feedback off the tournament director who said he always has a smile on his face.”

Callum has gained a recent new sponsor in town business Appleby Carpets, but dad Paul is looking for two more backers to add their names to Callum’s shirt.

Contact Paul Beddow via Facebook.

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