A former Colchester darts league player has gone viral at 95 after he became the face of an internet meme.

Wednesday started as an ordinary day for Lisa O'Brien.

However, as the day continued and 16-year-old darts sensation Luke Littler continued to play, her phone began to buzz with notifications.

"It was a surreal night," laughed Lisa.

Everyone was sharing the same story.

A jokester had shared a supposed news story with the headline 'Luke Littlers dad (38) has just announced how proud he is of his son' - with a photo of her father, then 89, attached.

Gazette: The spoof headline featuring Terry O'Brien from Ipswich.The spoof headline featuring Terry O'Brien from Ipswich. (Image: Lisa O'Brien)

The teenage dart player from Warrington has garnered much attention after taking the World Championship tournament by storm at just 16. 

His age has surprised many and has been the centre of many headlines and online conversations. 

Terry O'Brien had made headlines in the Colchester Gazette five years ago, when he shared the highlights of a 70-year career playing darts for the Colchester league. 

Lisa believes that the original poster must have Googled 'old darts players' and settled on the picture of her dad. 

She said the result has led to her father going viral on TikTok, Instagram and Facebook, much to the delight of her father, who has a great sense of humour.

"It's unusual for a 95-year-olds to go viral - but it's so fitting for him," she laughed. 

She added: "We've all found it really funny but really strange.

"He's living in a care home and they all find it so funny, he's a right celebrity now.

Gazette: Bullseye - Terry O'Brien has been playing darts for 70 years

"He's a real joker himself and would often tell jokes himself when I was a little girl, so he's certainly seen the funny side of life.

"Because he's such a fun chap, he saw the meme and thought it was hilarious.

"Some people messaged me and asked if he minded about it - but of course he doesn't because it's all a joke.

"I told him people are saying he's 38 and he liked that, so he's taking it all in his stride."

Terry, who is originally from Bradford, played darts up until the age of 91 and at one point, he was thought to be one of the oldest players in the UK.

Lisa said: "He could remember watching his dad play darts through a pub window when he was a little boy.

"Then he came to Colchester in 1948 and he met my mum, so my grandad took him to the pub so he could get to know him.

"They played darts together in 1948 and then he started playing for the local pub.

"He played for a league in Colchester for 72 years and then he stopped when Covid hit when he was 91 years old.

"I used to sit in the pub and watch him play - everyone in Colchester knows who he is and he used to hand out the programs at the county games."

More than three million people tuned in to watch the 16-year-old's showdown against Luke Humphries in the World Darts Championship, Sky has said. 

The 16-year-old debutant was defeated by new world number one Humphries at Alexandra Palace in London on Wednesday night, ending his dream of becoming the youngest world champion.

An average audience of 3.1 million tuned into the highly anticipated match, with the viewer numbers peaking at 3.7 million towards the end of the final, which ended 7-4, Sky Sports said.