The 35-year-old made the last eight for the first time in his career by ousting England's 2015 winner 4-2 in sets in the round two contest.

Second seed Mitchell opened up a 2-1 lead but the Belgian, the BDO World Trophy winner in 2015, clicked into gear with two consecutive 11-dart legs.

He reeled off five legs in a row on his way to going 3-2 up and dropped just one leg in the sixth set to complete his victory.

De Vos averaged 92.28 and fired in 10 180s in his triumph.

Elsewhere, another former champion had no such trouble in reaching the last eight as England's Martin Adams dispatched Canada's Jeff Smith 4-1.

Sixty-year-old Adams, known as "Wolfie", is searching for a fourth title at Lakeside.

The first two sets were shared before Adams - the fifth seed who was beaten in round one by last year's runner-up Smith in 2016 - reeled off three on the spin to advance.

He missed three match darts before ending the contest in the "mad house" of double one. 

England's fourth seed Jamie Hughes also advanced with a 4-1 win over Wales' 13th ranked Jim Williams, while 10th seed Darryl Fitton beat Pip Blackwell by the same score in an all-English affair.

Number one seed Glen Durrant survived a major scare, coming back from 3-0 down to beat English compatriot Paul Hogan 4-3.

Hogan, nicknamed Crocodile Dundee due to the film starring his actor namesake, missed match darts to complete a 4-0 whitewash and paid the penalty as Durrant came roaring back in a classic.

England's 10th seed Darryl Fitton will play unseeded compatriot Pip Blackwell with Wales' 13th seed Jim Williams hoping to get the better of England's number four ranked Jamie Hughes.

One women's match was played today as the first round was completed.

Australia's Corrine Hammond saw off Canada's Patricia Farrell 2-0 to book a last eight clash with England's Casey Gallagher, who shocked number one seed Deta Hedman in her first round clash.