LOCAL darts star Ryan Searle is out of this year’s World Championship - after losing 6-1 to the 18-year-old champion Luke Littler in the semi-finals at Alexandra Palace, London, tonight (Fri).

Searle made a great start, winning the first set 3-2 - but then struggled as the world No 1 outscored him for the rest of the match.

He lost three successive sets 3-0 but fought hard in the final set before Littler clinched it 3-2 to win his place in the final.

Searle, who dropped only two sets in reaching the last four, was appearing in only his second major semi-final and will take home a cheque for £200,000.

The prize for the winner is £1 million.