BARNEY GRUMBLE

Raymond so worried by rocky road to the oche

- BY MIKE WALTERS

ELF & safety officer Raymond van Barneveld has called for safer walk-on aisles after a heavy fall, warning: “One misstep and you can break your ankle.”

The popular Dutchman joins the pre-Christmas party at the Ally Pally tonight when he takes on 2,000-1 Swiss long shot Stefan Bellmont in the first round.

But he found himself down and out when he fell flat on his back at the World Grand Prix in Leicester two months ago, before his match with Gary Anderson, after stumbling over a gap in the flooring.

Van Barneveld was not hurt, but he wants the Professional Darts Corporation to review lighting on darts’ equivalent of the red carpet.