Luke 'The Nuke' Littler in PDC World Darts Championship dream

The Warrington 16-year-old, who only left school in the summer, has set the Alexandra Palace tournament alight on debut and is the youngest player ever to reach the last eight after a stunning 4-1 win.

He showed maturity and talent way beyond his tender years to get past the five-time world champion, who he used to imitate in front of the television as a three-year-old.

The former Padgate Academy student, who has made the world sit up and take notice, will come back on New Year’s Day to face Northern Ireland's Brendan Dolan and is dreaming of going all the way.

“It’s incredible beating one of my idols on the biggest stage of all, I still can’t believe it,” he said.

“I think I am daring to dream now, I have seen the draw.

Luke Littler in the media spotlight after his latest win at Alexandra Palace (Image: PA Wire)

“I am only three wins away now. I’m so young, only 16 and I have got nothing to fear, I have got no-one to fear, my game can be better than anyone’s on the day and I have shown it there against one of the greatest who have graced that stage.

“With performances like that I can go all the way.

“I’ve pictured myself winning it. I look at the draw and see Brendan next and then Chris Dobey against Rob Cross in the other quarter.

“I fancy myself. I do fancy myself.”

> READ: How Littler's win against Van Barneveld unfolded, updates as they happened

He was not even born when Van Barneveld won the last of his five titles.

Video footage on YouTube shows a three-year-old Littler copying ‘Barney’s’ celebration and has admitted it was a dream to play him on the Ally Pally stage.

He added: “It is unbelievable, 13 years ago I was doing his celebration throwing on my little board and I have just beaten him on the biggest stage.

> VIEW: Watch video footage of Littler playing darts aged 18 months, two, three and 14

“Barney said to me at the end, ‘You can go all the way. I hope you go all the way’. I said, ‘Thank you’.

“He is a true gentlemen. I respect Raymond very well.

“Raymond was incredible. It was incredible to see his iconic walk-on, I am so glad I got the job done. It wasn’t easy.”

Raymond van Barneveld embraces Luke Littler at the end of their match (Image: PA Wire)

Next up is Dolan, who beat his second former world champion in three days when he ousted Gary Anderson 4-3.

It looked like the Northern Irishman, who dumped out Gerwyn Price in the third round, was heading out as Anderson rallied from 2-0 down to lead 3-2.

But Dolan composed himself and won the final two sets to reach the last eight.

“I’m over the moon,” he said. “I just think so much of Gary and how brilliant he is.

“It is not a bad couple of days. Certain things that have happened maybe make me think it’s meant to be.”

But it is World Youth Champion Littler who has created global headlines with his exploits in the sport’s flagship event, and he continued his ground-breaking run with the remarkable 4-1 success against Dutch legend Van Barneveld.

Littler delivered a darting masterclass to demolish the man 40 years his senior – averaging 105 to book his place in the last eight.

He showed no signs of nerves in an electric start to the contest, wrapping up the opening set with a sublime 11-darter.

'The Nuke' continued his blistering start to double his lead with a superb 12-darter, but Van Barneveld displayed some darting defiance with consecutive 127 and 80 finishes to threaten a comeback.

The Dutchman paid the price for missing two set darts at double 16 as Littler won the third stanza to move to the cusp of a historic win, but Van Barneveld did avoid the whitewash with a 14-dart hold in a fourth set decider.

Nevertheless, the teenage sensation was undeterred, reeling off consecutive holds in 14, 11 and 13 darts in a remarkable fifth set to continue his fairy-tale run in the capital.

“It is an incredible feeling. My cover shooting was unbelievable, my doubles got me over the line, and I think I am daring to dream now," said Littler.