Jaws is back with a vengeance.
Colchester-born darts professional and former world number one Colin Lloyd was ready to walk away from the sport after a number of confidence-sapping poor performances last year.
But Lloyd, nicknamed Jaws, is heading into the Bolton Blue Square UK Open tomorrow in good heart after a five-month spell which has seen him regain his love for the sport.
Rated number seven in the Professional Darts Corporation world rankings, Lloyd goes straight into the Open's third round and will find out his opponent after the conclusion of the second phase tonight.
However, the 35-year-old's poor form over the past two years had left him contemplating packing his darts away and heading back to the building sites to earn a a living.
He did not feature in last year's Holsten Premier Darts League but if he had, and performed poorly, he may have ended his career.
But a holiday at Christmas helped the former Stanway School pupil clear his mind.
UK Regional competition wins in Taunton and Brentwood, in the latter he beat world number one Taylor in the final, as well as a perfect nine-dart finish at a tournament in Germany helped restore his love for darts.
"In any sport there are people who will knock you," he said.
"People jump all over you and write you off, but I have knuckled down and won a couple of tournaments.
"I wanted to stick two fingers up at people who had dismissed me and I have done it on the dart board."
For more, see today's Gazette
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