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Pudsey funeral for 'voice of darts' Sid Waddell | |
(about 11 hours later) | |
A funeral service for darts commentator Sid Waddell is taking place in West Yorkshire. | |
Known as the "voice of darts", Mr Waddell had been battling against bowel cancer for nearly a year when he died aged 72, on 11 August. | |
His funeral is being held at Pudsey Parish Church between Leeds and Bradford. | |
Stars Freddie Flintoff and Eric Bristow are attending, along with Barry Hearn, of the Professional Darts Corporation. | |
The son of a Northumberland miner, Mr Waddell was known for his colourful and excitable commentary style, over many years on the BBC and Sky. | |
'Colossus of trade' | |
He described the challenge of a player trying to defeat multiple world champion Phil Taylor as "like eating candy floss in a wind tunnel". | |
Football commentator John Helm said as he arrived: "If we'd had an Olympic games for commentators he would have won the gold medal so many times. | |
"He was top of the tree. | |
"We are here to pay tribute to a colossus of his trade. | |
"Every time I was with Sid he always made me laugh. | |
"He was a man with so much eloquence he could stop the world with his commentaries." | |
'Magic darts' | |
Mr Waddell was one of the most recognisable figures in the sport, famed for his excellent one-liners delivered in his trademark north east accent. | |
Northumberland-born and a Cambridge graduate, he was a central part of Sky Sports' coverage of PDC darts events since 1994. | |
He was known for his commentary style, with his best-known lines including "There's only one word for it - 'magic darts'." | |
He also noted, while watching Bristow become world champion: "When Alexander of Macedonia was 33, he cried salt tears because there were no more worlds to conquer ... Bristow's only 27." |