QUAFFLES at the ready: the British Quidditch Cup is coming to Oxford.

Thirty-two teams will descend on the city next month and compete to become the country’s top quidditch team, inspired by the wizarding sport in JK Rowling's Harry Potter books.

Organised by QuidditchUK, the fifth annual competition will see the best teams in the country play at Oxford Brookes University's Botley campus.

Last year’s champions, Velociraptors QC, will be returning to defend their title.

QuidditchUK president Mel Piper, said “We are thrilled to be returning to Oxford for the fifth British Quidditch Cup.

"The tournament will be fiercely competitive with the top 32 teams in the country qualified to participate; the well-prepared facilities at Brookes Sport is perfect for the competition.”

When Oxford hosted the first British Quidditch Cup in 2013, just 16 teams competed.

Since then, the sport has grown in popularity and now has more than 800 players and 40 active teams in the UK.

A match consists of two teams of seven made up of a keeper, three chasers, two beaters and a seeker. The keeper and chasers use the quaffle to score goals through the three hoops at the end of the pitch. The beaters use the bludgers to temporarily knock out opposing players.

Finally, seekers try to catch the snitch to end the game.

The tournament, which will take place on March 24-25, is free. For match times visit quidditchuk.org