'Rest in peace old friend:' Doncaster darts champ Dennis Priestley's touching tribute to Eric Bristow

Doncaster darts ace Dennis Priestley has paid a touching tribute to his friend Eric Bristow after the five time world champion's shock death last night.
Eric Bristow and Dennis Priestley were good friends.Eric Bristow and Dennis Priestley were good friends.
Eric Bristow and Dennis Priestley were good friends.

The 'Crafty Cockney' died at the age of 60 after suffering a heart attack at a darts tournament in Liverpool.

And Mexborough based Dennis, 67, led the tributes to the darts star, writing on Twitter: 'Rest in peace old friend."

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Dennis, who won the world championship in 1991 and 1994 tweeted: "Absolutely devastated to be told earlier that my good friend Eric Bristow has passed away.

"We shared some great times together and I'm so saddened that we won't get to share anymore.

"Rest in peace old friend."

Priestley whitewashed Bristow 6-0 in the 1991 final - and it was to be the Londoner's last appearance in a televised final.

The pair were regulars on the darts exhibition circuit and teamed up for an event in Doncaster in 2016.

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The pair joined forces for an event at Doncaster's Urban Bar where they entertained customers and took on regulars at a few games of darts.

World champion five times between 1980 and 1986, Bristow also won five World Masters titles and was a founder player when the PDC was formed in 1993. He was awarded an MBE for his services to sport in 1989.

He also worked as a TV pundit and appeared on ITV show I'm A Celebrity... Get Me Out Of Here in 2012.