DENNIS PRIESTLEY CANCER BATTLE

DENNIS PRIESTLEY is facing the hardest battle of his life - and cannot wait to get the all-clear.

The former World Championship runner-up was diagnosed with prostate cancer last October and will discover in April if his radiotherapy treatment has been successful.

And the Norfolk thrower, 58, admits it has been the hardest time of his life. The Menace said: "It's like waiting to be hung. It's been so hard, not just for me but for all my family and friends.

"It was heartbreaking when I first heard I had cancer, but I am determined to fight it.

Push

"I'm in a Catch 22 situation and I've got to wait until April for my final blood test to come back before I can get the all-clear."

Back in January, the family man had an operation to remove the cancer.

He added: "Hopefully it will all settle down in the next six months, but I've been told not to push myself too hard. However, you've got to get on with your life.

"My wife, Jenny, has been marvellous. It's not often you get your wife saying to you 'go down the pub and practise'.

"In fact everyone has been brilliant with me. Phil Taylor passed on his wishes and so have a lot of other professionals."

Glamour

Priestley started his Ladbrokes.com PDC World Championship campaign with a 3-0 win over New Zealand's Warren French yesterday.

Kevin Painter clinched a 3-2 sudden-death victory over Matt Clark, while qualifier Dennis Smith upset Terry Jenkins, the No 5 seed, with a shock 3-1 win.

Phil Taylor, the 13- time world champion, eased through with a 3-0 win over pub landlord Steve Grubb.

Meanwhile, Anastasia Dobromyslova has vowed to bare her double tops if she wins her PDC World Championship opener today.

The ex-glamour model, 24, snubbed a £100,000 offer to go topless after she won the BDO women's world title.

But she will strip off if she beats Remco van Eijden. She said: "I'd consider doing it but only if I won my first-round match at the World Championship."

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