NEW Earswick's Denis Chadwick is hoping to create darts history this weekend by becoming the sport's first wheelchair world champion.

Chadwick is one of eight players who will be contesting that title at the Winmau World Masters - a competition that has been won by all of the game's greats in the past, including Phil Taylor, Raymond van Barneveld, Michael van Gerwen, Eric Bristow and John Lowe.

Should the York-based, 51-year-old emerge triumphant, he will also earn the chance to play 2004 BDO world champion Andy Fordham on the famous Masters stage at Hull City Hall.

Chadwick, who suffers from cerebral palsy, practices two to three hours a week and has a top score of 153 (treble 20, treble 20, treble 11).

He is now relishing the opportunity to be part of a tournament graced in the past by his heroes Lowe and Tony O'Shea.

"I'm a bit nervous," he admitted. "But I feel lucky to be playing in such surroundings.

"It will be the first time I've played in a competition and it's not a bad place to start. People from all over the world watch the Masters and it will be a great feeling playing against some of my fellow disabled players.

"I hope I do well and I would like to win it because you would then go down in history, but enjoying it will be the most important thing. I am looking forward to it immensely and, hopefully, it can become an annual event."

The board for disabled darts matches is mounted so the bull lies 4ft 6in above ground level, compared to the normal competition height of 5ft 8in.

But Chadwick throws from a distance of 7ft 91/4in - the same-sized oche as that used by able-bodied players.

A chance meeting with York Darts Promotions chief Neil Hart set Chadwick on the path to potential world glory and he also feels indebted to top local player and chicken farmer Rich Corner, who adapted a free-standing board to wheelchair darts specifications in his workshop.

"Neil got me back into darts and I am a regular at his YDP events," Chadwick explained. "He picked me up in his taxi one day after I had been shopping at Asda.

"I had never been to a live darts tournament before but he told me to come along to last year's Pro-am Grand Finals and I loved it. It's got me playing again as well.

"I used to play with my brother when we were younger and now I play on the lower board against some of the younger kids who are part of the YDP's academy. Without that board, I wouldn't be able to play darts and I enjoy all the events, along with the social side of things."