Quidditch comes to the West Country

The South West Quidditch League got underway this weekend.

The game is inspired by the fictional version which features heavily in the Harry Potter books.

But it's now a real life sport known as 'muggle Quidditch' and is growing in popularity.

The first match of the season saw the Exeter Eagles travel from Exeter University to take on Bristol's Brizzlepuffs.

The rules to Quidditch are now recognised across the world.

The playing field is about a third of the size of a football pitch with three circular goals placed on either side.

Players are required to carry a stick or 'broom' between their legs at all times. Slightly deflated volleyballs usually act as the 'quaffle' and dodgeballs serve as the 'bludgers'.

A beginners guide to Quidditch

While the 'snitch' is a magical flying golden ball in the Harry Potter novels, in the real world it's simply a tennis ball contained in a sock tucked in the waistband of the snitch runner, who is a neutral player affiliated with neither team.

Muggle Quidditch is growing in popularity. In fact its the fastest growing full-contact mixed gender sport in the world.

Bristol's team, the Brizzlepuffs was founded in 2014 and has fast become one of the country's best Quidditch teams.

They came fourth at Southern Cup 2015, winning qualification for the European Quidditch Cup 2016 in Italy, where they came 12th.

But they were outshone by the Exeter Eagles in the first game of the South West League.

The Eagles scored a magical 240 to Brizzlepuff's 40.