Norwich darts star Darren Webster played on despite suffering a suspected broken nose after he was headbutted by a football thug.

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Known as The Demolition Man, Mr Webster, 49, had been knocked out of a tournament in Barnsley and was on his way back to his hotel on Saturday.

But he and his group were confronted by football fans returning from Barnsley's 3-2 local derby Championship victory over Sheffield United.

Mr Webster, ranked number 17 in the world, said: 'We'd finished the darts and were walking back to the hotel over a railway line when this group came up to us.

'They said 'Are you a Sheffield supporter and I said 'No, I'm a darts player'. I went to unzip my jacket to show him my darts shirt and he headbutted me. There was blood all over the place and he ran off.

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'He did it despite there being loads of police around. I've been on the phone to the police and they say they are looking at the CCTV.'

Mr Webster, who lives in Bowthorpe, had been competing in the Players Championship Seven at the Barnsley Metrodome before the attack.

He had made it through to the last 32 of the PDC event, losing 6-5 to Max Hopp.

But, despite his injury, Mr Webster decided to take part in Sunday's Players Championship Eight, although he lost 6-3 to Robert Marijanovic in his first match.

Norwich Evening News: Darren Webster in action. Picture: Lawrence LustigDarren Webster in action. Picture: Lawrence Lustig (Image: LAWRENCE LUSTIG)

He said: 'The problem was that I touch my darts to my nose before I throw them, so it was hurting every time.

'If your mind isn't on it 100pc, you're not going to do well, but at least I didn't let it stop me trying.'

It was the latest drama for Mr Webster, who combines his darts with work as a builder.

Earlier this month, he was meant to be flying from Stansted Airport for a tournament, when things went awry.

One of the airport shuttle buses caught fire, which led to flights being grounded and the evacuation of the airport.

He said: 'I was supposed to be flying to Germany, but the flight was cancelled so I had to drive up to Manchester, fly to Austria and then spend £250 getting a taxi to Munich.'

Mr Webster is hoping his luck will now change - and his nose stops hurting - in time for forthcoming tournaments in Austria and Germany.