During the month of June 2003 the World of Darts said goodbye to two of it's greatest ambassadors, Lorna Croft and Leighton Rees, who died within hours of each other.

Lorna, wife of BDO General Secretary Olly, was the face of darts on television as she recorded the scores for all of the major competitions while in the background she did trojan work for more than thirty years since the foundation of the B.D.O.     She was Olly's 'right hand man' and will be impossible to replace.

Leighton Rees was the 'Gentleman of Darts' , the first World Champion and probably one of the greatest ambassador the sport of darts will ever have.   Capped 77 times for his native Wales, Leighton was a member of the Welsh team that won the first World Cup in 1977 and he won the World Cup Singles at that event.

His greatest achievement was in 1978 when he defeated John Lowe to become the first Embassy World Professional Champion.