DARTS players and fans are being called upon to help locate one of the most-coveted trophies in Furness sport.

The Evening Mail Darts Championship made its long-awaited return this year after a seven-year hiatus, but missing is the valuable piece of silverware that local players battled it out for 59 years, from 1951 to 2010.

The return of the competition is proving very popular, with the opening rounds having produced some fantastic arrows.

The Dalton and district area finals take place at Dalton CC on Saturday February 11. The Barrow area final the takes place the week at the Cottages Club.

Two players will progress from the district area final and six from the Barrow final, with the climax of the tournament being grand final night at The Nines on Saturday, March 11, where the winner will take home a guaranteed £300, as well as the trophy.

It was back in 1951 when the men's competition got under way, and 1974 when ladies came into the frame. Winner of the first final was Jimmy Burnett, from Millom, and the ladies’ inaugural champion was Barbara Farrer, from Dalton.

Many great names from the South Cumbrian darting world have lifted the coveted trophies, with the the late John ‘Ticker’ Hermann, of Barrow, winning the men's tournament six times, and Barrow's Dee Bateman triumphing on 11 occasions.

Millom has produced only three further champions since Burnett’s day. Stan Fry won in 1957, while Walter Dalkin took the title in 1966 and Ken Giles triumphed in 1975.

The other men's winners have come from Barrow, Dalton, Ulverston, Whitehaven, Cleator Moor, Frizington, Hensingham, Coniston and Askam. There have been many great battles and rivalries over the years between the likes of Hermann and Dickie Musson and John Kane, both from Whitehaven.

While Hermann is out in front with six victories, Kane won it five times and Musson three. In more recent times, Dave Pratt pulled off a trio of victories in 1996, 2007 and 2009, and fellow Barrovian Frank Grydziuszko won it in 1997 and 1999.

While Bateman has lifted the women's Harry Murray Ladies Trophy an incredible 11 times, Lindal's Shelia Tyson (formerly Proctor) ran her close with nine victories in the 1980s and 1990s, and Dot Bell (later Kane) was victorious four times.

In days gone by, the finals attracted several hundred spectators at the old Public Hall and the Civic Hall in Barrow, before moving on to local working men's clubs. Hopefully this year's grand finals night at The Nines will be greeted with similar enthusiasm.

If you know the whereabouts of the men's Evening Mail darts trophy please contact the Evening sports desk on 01229 840158 or email sport@nwemail.co.uk