'Real fear Littler could walk away' - darts would be loser in booing row

The referee stopped the match during his narrow win against Nathan Aspinall in the last-16 on Saturday to warn the hostile crowd about its behaviour, before play resumed.

It followed Littler also being booed during his win against home favourite Danny Noppert on Friday.

The teenager's quarter-final defeat to Jonny Clayton ended Littler's quest for the clean sweep, but the Warrington native clearly felt fans had been unduly harsh towards him.

Littler has now withdrawn from a series of upcoming events.

"Just no point in me travelling, wasting my time while I'm getting booed," said Littler.

'Not a unique experience for Littler'

Littler has also been jeered at numerous events in the UK.

His phenomenal rise saw him reach the PDC World Darts Championship aged just 16 in his debut year as a professional.

He captured the title the following year and the trophies, sponsorship deals and six-figure winners' cheques have continued to flow.

But increasingly so have whistles and boos during his performances.

"I don't think people expected him to reach the heights that he has so quickly," Gill said.