An Australian haemophiliac who won the world darts title has vowed to make a seaside town his home from home.

Tony David, 34, travelled from Queensland to win the Embassy World Championship on Sunday.

He told The Argus he thought Hastings was a great place and promised to return.

Mr David said: "I love it here. It's a seaside town much like my home town of Townsville in Queensland and I fit right in."

When competing in England, Mr David stays with friend and fellow darts professional Shayne Burgess, 37, of White Rock Gardens.

The pair can often be found practising in their local, The Dripping Well, in Cambridge Road.

Mr Burgess said: "I first met Tony three years ago at the Leicestershire Open.

"He told me we had met six years previously but I couldn't remember meeting him then. He said he had been having trouble with his accommodation so I said he could stay at my place.

"We get on famously and he eats everything I cook for him.

"He comes over a few times a year and stays with me and I'm sure he will be back fairly soon."

But the world number 18 did encounter some problems during the new champion's stay.

Mr Burgess said: "Tony has totally wrecked my house and destroyed the gears on my camper van. He opened the washing machine while it was still going round and flooded the kitchen and put diesel in my mate's unleaded car. Everything he touches he breaks but he's a great bloke."

Winning the championship did not come as a total surprise for Mr David, who said he had had several premonitions leading up to the championships that he would walk away with the trophy.

He said: "I dreamed I would win the Townsville Open and then the Australian Masters and then I dreamed I would win this. After the match, they put a hat on my head and I had the exact same hat in my dream."

Mr David has suffered from the blood disease haemophilia since childhood but has not let it stand in his way.

He said: "I don't see my illness as a handicap. I just get on and do it."

Fans and well-wishers had photographs taken with him in The Dripping Well yesterday, including father and son Richard and Jordan Attwood, from Hastings.

Jordan, 13, asked his father to place a bet on the Australian champion and came away with £100 while his father's £50 bet earnt him £2,500.

Mr Attwood said: "I'm over the moon. It was a great win for him and us."