Durrant prevailed 7-6 in the English village to join an elite group of players who have retained the crown.

The only other three to have managed to do so are England’s Eric Bristow and Martin Adams, and The Netherlands’ Raymond van Barneveld.

Durrant missed numerous doubles in the 11^th and 12^th sets as world number one McGeeney came back from 6-4 down to level the match before squandering two match points in the decider. 

A superb 149 checkout then moved Durrant to within a leg of victory and, although he missed his first three darts, he eventually took out double three to secure a second world title.

"My bottle had gone - there was no way I was hitting doubles at one point in that match," Durrant told Channel 4.

"Somewhere, somehow, I found some and to get back to 2-2 in that last set was incredible.

"That's probably the best performance in my life in darts."

The first eight sets went with the throw before Durrant got a break and then consolidated it to move to the brink of success. 

McGeeney fought back admirably, but ultimately fell just short of claiming a first world crown.

"I'm disappointed I lost but I'm okay," he said.

"It's been a good tournament for me.

"It was the best experience I've ever had.

"I'll learn from this."

The result means that both senior titles have remained in the same hands after England’s Lisa Ashton beat Russia’s Anastasia Dobromyslova in yesterday’s women’s final.

Ashton recorded a 3-1 win to make it four triumphs in the last five years.