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David’s bullseye saves darts league

22/10/2003

A DARTS league has been saved from closure thanks to a "bullseye" from a father and son team from Denton.

Players in the South Manchester darts league traditionally play with a log end dart board. But after the main manufacturers, Perrigo, of Droylsden, decided to end production, the board was threatened with extinction.

That was until David Mealey came to the rescue.

David has run a domino and dart board manufacturing company since he retired from being a train driver 12 years ago.

He said: "I used to make five boards a year. I bought a little business and sold dominoes and log ends, but it wasn't worth selling them as Perrigo had 99 per cent of the market.

"After they closed people started asking us to make them so we will now be going from selling five a year to about 500."

The log end boards have been popular for 70 years and it takes two hours to make one board. They are traditionally used by the South Manchester darts league.

Their secretary said: "The league has now been saved. Only last week we had a meeting and said it was looking bleak but now everyone is more than happy."

Due to the new demand, David has been able to employ his son, Chris, 32, who he hopes will be able to continue the business after he finishes.

League secretaries, officials and sports retailers can meet David and Chris on Wednesday, 29 October, at Mary Dee's club on Grey Mare Lane, at 8.15pm.