Locals at the Original Swan had an unexpected thrill when darts legend Phil Taylor popped into the Oxford pub.

After opening the darts zone at nearby Rileys, the 15-time world champion visited landlord Paddy Fox’s Oxford Road boozer in Cowley to see his new £10,000 hi-tech darts room.

And Taylor was suitably impressed as Fox showed him the two wooden oches, which are lowered to the floor on mechanical winches run off car batteries.

Fox, who was helped in the project by carpenter Damian Brackett, said: “It is a bit James Bond – that is why I persisted and got Phil Taylor over here and he said it was a good bit of kit.

“He said you have gone to a lot of trouble in here, and he had a couple of throws, and said this is exceptional.

“I was absolutely ecstatic that I had the greatest ever darts player in this room.

“In some respects now he has opened my darts room too.

“He is so down to earth and not flamboyant. I shook his hand and told him people like you make people play darts.

“I couldn’t stop smiling when he left.”

Fox, whose new darts room is bedecked in the green and white of his beloved Celtic, had been due to play Taylor at Rileys – the prize for winning a tournament at his own pub.

But instead he let 14-year-old Danny Kirton take his place.

“Danny is the biggest darts fan I know,” said Fox.

“He has been through a rough time of things recently and deserved a break.

“What better way to put a smile on a young boy’s face than to give him the chance to play his idol. He didn’t even know he was going.

“I gave him the shock of his life by giving him a ticket, and then I gave him an even bigger shock by giving him my game against Phil.”