Darts: Ritchie Edhouse wins European Championship by beating Jermaine Wattimena

Ritchie ‘Madhouse’ Edhouse secured the biggest win of his career with an 11-3 defeat of Jermaine Wattimena to take the European Championship title.

The tournament featured 28 of the world’s top 32 players, but a series of shocks saw two outsiders in the final.

England’s world number 39 Edhouse seized his chance with a convincing victory over 40th-ranked Dutchman Wattimena in Dortmund.

“Confidence breeds confidence and I’m now hungry for more,” said Edhouse, 41, after collecting the £120,000 first prize and his first major title.

Edhouse defeated two-time world champion Gary Anderson 10-5 in the quarter-finals while Wattimena stunned world number one Luke Humphries 10-4.

Rated a 250-1 outsider by bookmakers before the tournament, it was another shock victor after Mike de Decker won the World Grand Prix two weeks ago.

Edhouse trailed 3-2 in the final but rattled off nine successive legs and his average of 90.55 proved enough as victory was sealed with a 144 checkout.