A man who ignored his wife’s request to bin a dirty piece of metal he found in a field has been toasting his instincts after it was declared to be a rare silver Viking ring.

Phil Taylor will begin his challenge at the Blue Square UK Open on Saturday with a clash against world number four Peter Manley.

Teenage wonderkid Michael van Gerwen powered into round two of the Blue Square UK Open as the tournament began on Thursday - but American Ray Carver was the biggest casualty of the opening night.

Ulster put themselves in a strong position to win the U16 schoolboys interprovincial hockey title when they won their two matches on the opening day of the championship at Cork Harlequins’ Club in Farmers Cross.