KEMPSFORD darts star Lee Evans has cemented his place at this week's £300,000 Coral UK Open which will be televised live on ITV4.

In just his first season on the Professional Darts Corporation (PDC) tour, Evans came through the final round of qualifiers in Wigan.

After a good run in the first three qualifiers at the Robin Park Tennis Centre, Evans returned to Wigan and made it to the last 32 after taking the scalp of Andy Hamilton, the former world championship runner-up (6-0), before losing out to the world number one Michael van Gerwen 6-2.

Evans finished 86th in the order of merit and now joins Swindon darts stars Dennis Smith, Johnny Haines and Mark Cox as well as Wiltshire County A Team player Adrian Acott at the Coral UK Open Finals held at Butlins Minehead Resort in Somerset from Friday, March 6 to Sunday, March 8. There will be 149 professional darts players and qualifying amateurs taking part.

Evans will start on Friday morning in the preliminary and first rounds with the 32 leading professional qualifiers, including reigning champion Adrian Lewis, world champion Gary Anderson, Phil Taylor and van Gerwen, coming in at Friday evening's third round stage.

Evans said “ It’s a fantastic feeling to qualify for such a great event at the first attempt.

"I hope my form will continue, I’m putting in the hours on the practice board and hope that this will pay off for me."