STOOD, arms outstretched, chanting at the top of his voice, one 60-something was clearly enjoying himself.

There are not many events where that sight would be considered standard.

But, then again, the McCoy’s Premier League darts is far from standard.

Loud, raucous and brash, the popular PDC showpiece continues to prove irresistible to punters.

The fun-loving chap was joined by plenty of like-minded types as Bournemouth’s darts fans made their annual trip to the BIC tonight. Fuelled by a combination of lager and quality arrows, they were not left disappointed.

And members of the Dorset darting public were not the only happy ones.

James Wade, a relative local hailing from Aldershot in Hampshire, was as jubilant as the rowdy faithful.

Averaging more than 100, the 2009 league champ kicked off proceedings with a 7-4 win over Adrian Lewis.

The atmosphere at the venue was not lost on the man known as ‘The Machine’ as he proved finely tuned.

Wade told the Daily Echo: “Being a southern boy, there are not many of us in the darts fraternity so it is a little bit lonely sometimes.” He had 3,500 pals in a sell-out crowd this evening.

After Robert Thornton and Wes Newton had battled out a 6-6 draw, the decibel levels rose once again to welcome multiple world champion Phil Taylor.

Simon ‘The Wizard’ Whitlock had weaved his magic against Cherries stars Marc Pugh, Steve Fletcher and Matt Tubbs in a challenge match on Wednesday, but he had no answer to Taylor.

Spotted by the Echo strolling around Bournemouth this morning, scintillating Taylor sped into a sprint with a 7-2 demolition, his mammoth 107 average dwarfing the Aussie’s impressive 101.

As the cheers and beers continued to flow in equal measure, top talent Michael van Gerwen turned on the style with a 104 average to thump Raymond van Barneveld 7-3 in the clash of the Dutchmen.

The night culminated in a showdown between Andy Hamilton and Gary Anderson, won 7-5 by the former.

While the scoring might not have been in the fabulous Taylor or van Gerwen class, that didn’t stop the chanting. As that 60-something might have bellowed: ‘Stand up if you love the darts.’