NATURAL THORN WINNER
Lancashire lass Lisa: My husband was recovering from a heart attack, he told me to go out and play.. and I won the event
ROSE of Lancashire Lisa Ashton qualified for the PDC World Championship after waving her husband Derek off in an ambulance for life-saving heart surgery.
Ashton was not allowed to escort him to hospital because of Covid restrictions and was left waiting helpless by the phone for updates from the operating theatre.
News came through, within hours, that his condition had stabilised after being fitted with three stents following a heart attack.
At Derek’s insistence, Ashton headed for the inaugural women’s Winter Series in Coventry – which she won, to book her place at Alexandra Palace as one of only two roses among 94 thorns in the field.
Rose of Lancashire? More like full petal jacket.
The four-time Lakeside women’s world champion showed amazing bottle to reach Ally Pally with her husband fighting for his life.
But as if to prove she was a cut above, Ashton became a freelance crimper to rivals camped in the Ricoh Arena bubble – and ended up giving world No.8 Dave Chisnall a haircut.
Ashton laughed: “Everyone thinks I am a hairdresser now. Dave wanted his hair cut and I sorted it out for him – a No.2, a bit shorter than usual, to keep him happy.
“But all the mess was left on the floor in my room. They will have to clean up next time. Right, the barbers is shut now.”
Ashton (right), who plays Adam Hunt in the first round tonight, has shown remarkable resilience to stay focused on the dartboard. Her husband had a second operation last week, and is understood to be convalescing well.
She added: “I have my youngest daughter Danielle with me at home. She is 22 and her partner lives with us as well. They are helping me look out for Derek.
“He is doing OK. But when the ambulance came, it was a very scary time. They said, ‘I am sorry, Mr Ashton, I am going to take you into hospital as you are having a massive heart attack’.
“It was like panic stations – more from me and my daughter because
‘Darts has been a good release for me, I have taken it out on the board’
we weren’t allowed to go with him. They took him off in the ambulance. There was nothing we could do.
“I wasn’t allowed to visit. All we could do was to ring back about four hours later.
“This was all going on a few days before the Winter Series. I didn’t want to go because of everything going on at home, but Derek insisted, ‘No, I am fine – the kids are with me, they will look after me. Go. Just try your best and enjoy it’.
“I felt gutted leaving him behind but he was adamant I should play.
“I’ve been practising one or two hours a day, when Derek’s been resting. I just use it as my de-stress time.
“Darts has been a good release, I’ve taken it out on the board.”