A TOP-flight darts tournament is to get its inaugural outing this weekend at the Portland Arms Hotel in Lybster.

A number of leading Professional Darts Corporation and British Darts Organisation players will be in attendance along with both male and female internationals from both sides of the border, playing for £8000 in cash and prizes.

The darts extravaganza kicks off on Friday with the gents' and ladies' singles warm-up event. The main competition on the Saturday will be the singles with a main prize of £2000 in the men's event.

It will see top seed Robert Thornton, the PDC second-highest-ranked Scottish player behind Gary Anderson, up against current international sensation Andy Boulton and PDC tour cardholders John Henderson, Brian Woods along with a number of pub players from all over the North.

Sunday will see local pairs fresh from the Old Pulteney tournament pit their skills in the £1000 first-prize men's event and the £200 first-prize ladies' competition.

They kick off at 12.30pm in the main hall which has been newly fitted with 18 dart boards just for the occasion.

All the finals will be staged on the Sunday afternoon after the pairs events.

Anyone wishing to attend i can get there by minibuses which will be running at intervals throughout both main days from the Queen's Hotel, Wick, starting at 10-45am on Saturday and 11.45am on Sunday, courtesy of Johnnie's Taxis.