British Quidditch Cup won by Velociraptors in Oxford

The finest seekers, chasers and beaters have taken part in the Harry Potter-inspired British Quidditch Cup.

Each player must hold a broom between their legs while competing in the sport, which also draws on rugby and dodgeball.

Last year's winners Velociraptors retained their title by beating Warwick 70-30 in Oxford on Sunday after catching the snitch to end the game.

Quidditch UK president Mel Piper said the cup was the "most competitive yet".

Jay Holmes, who plays for the Velociraptors, said: "People see Raptors as a faceless machine, but I think we've shown that we have the biggest heart."

Oxford was hosting the cup for a second time having previously welcomed the first British Quidditch Cup in 2013 when 16 teams competed.

Quidditch UK said the sport had since grown in popularity with more than 800 players and 40 active teams in the UK.

There is also a Quidditch World Cup, to be held in Florence in June, which will see Team UK compete against other international sides.

How do you play Quidditch?

Quidditch UK is a mixed gender sport

• A match has two teams of seven players aiming to score as many points as they can

• Each player must play with a broom between their legs

• A team consists of one keeper, three chasers, two beaters, and a seeker

• Points are available for throwing the quaffle through the opposing team's hoops and for catching the snitch, which ends the game

• A Quidditch match uses three types of ball - the quaffle, the snitch, and bludgers - which are thrown at opposing players to knock them out the game

Source: Quidditch UK