Gerywn Price reunited with stolen coat but has no intention of keeping it

The 2021 world champion started a campaign online to ensure the garment was returned to him after it was stolen from a pub in Newport

Gerwyn Price has been reunited with his stolen coat (Martin Rickett/PA)

Gerwyn Price has revealed he will throw his returned stolen coat in the bin despite offering a reward in a social media campaign to find it.

The 2021 world champion revealed on Instagram that his coat had been stolen while he was watching a rugby game at a pub in Newport.

Price started a campaign online to ensure the garment was returned to him and offered a £200 voucher for his fish and chip shop if anyone could provide information.

He was reunited with his coat earlier this week, but revealed he has no intention of keeping it.

“It was a bit frustrating but a couple of posts on Instagram and I managed to get it back, so happy days,” he told the Press Association.

“I probably won’t wear the coat again, it was just the fact that I wanted to get it back.

“Knowing that someone had it on their back and wore it, I’ll probably just chuck it in the bin.”

Price did at least get the coat back without the help of online detectives, meaning he is not £200 lighter.

“I got the information without that so even better,” he added.

Price is gearing up for a tilt at Alexandra Palace glory as the World Championship starts next week.

It was announced on Thursday that the showpiece tournament will be staying at the famous north London venue until at least 2031.

The Welshman has had his issues at Ally Pally, notably when he had to wear ear defenders to block out a hostile crowd in 2024, and would have been open to the prospect of a new venue.

“It’s great, moving into a bigger hall and the capacity going up by 2,000 is good,” he said.

“It’s down to the PDC, it would have been nice for it to go somewhere else and change it up a little bit.

“But now the crowd is getting a little bit bigger, it will probably be better there.”

The Palace has held the World Championship since 2007 – apart from 2021 when it was behind closed doors in Milton Keynes due to Covid.

That was the year Price was champion and he wants a crack at winning in front of a crowd.

“When I won it in 2021 there was no crowd and my family wasn’t there so it was a bittersweet moment for me really,” he said.

“Fingers crossed I can have a good run this year and hopefully I can lift the trophy and enjoy it a bit more.”

Price will again be aiming to hit as many 180s as possible as £1,000 is being donated to Prostate Cancer UK for every maximum hit throughout the tournament in the BIGGER180 campaign.

He said: “Knowing it will make a big difference is hugely satisfying. Bring it on.

“As much as we are rivals on the oche, me and the players are united in supporting this brilliant cause.”