LANCASTER'S Alan Warriner is officially the world's number one darts player after winning his first major title.

The 'Iceman' had suffered four final defeats in major competitions before last week's Paddy Power world grand prix victory in Dublin.

Alan dedicated his victory on Sunday to his late father, Arnold, who died just last month.

"My dad was a player in the city and I picked up the game from him;" explained Warriner, who was visiting his sponsors, Claims Solutions UK ltd: "I realised I had a talent for darts in about 1986, when I went away to a tournament in the Isle of Man for a week and won it. I've been on the tour since 1990.

"I think I was really, really determined to win this one. I was digging in when things got hard, when in the past I might just have let it go."

Before Sunday's victory over Holland's Roland Scholten, Alan had won more tournaments than just about anybody else. He now hopes to take as strong a grip on the game as his predecessor as world number one, Phil Taylor. "The opportunity is there for me," he said: "So I don't see why not."