AN OXFORDSHIRE couple are boxing up their bludgers and waxing their broomsticks, ready to fly to Italy for the Quidditch world cup.

Alex Greenhalgh, 25, and Jemma Thripp, 24, from Didcot, have been selected in the 25-player Team UK squad to compete in the championship in Florence in June.

The pair will do battle with 31 other countries in an attempt to improve on the team’s bronze-medal winning performance at the last World Cup in 2016.

Although based on the fictional Harry Potter game of the same name, the game has become a sport in its own right, combining elements of rugby and dodgeball, and is increasing in popularity.

Mr Greenhalgh, a science writer based at Milton Park, said he had never expected to represent his country at any sport, despite also being a keen football and rugby player.

He got into the game six years ago while at university and has to commute to play for his club, Werewolves of London, because of a lack of local teams.

Mr Greenhalgh, who plays as a keeper, added: “As the sport grows older people are becoming a lot more athletic.

“It started off as a bit of a novelty but has outgrown its Harry Potter roots.

“It’s not as intensive a training regime as some other sports but it does take dedication and you need to watch your diet and go to the gym.”

Mr Greenhalgh said he is preparing for the heat of the Florence summer to have an impact in what has traditionally been a winter sport.

There are plans to live-stream the tournament and he hopes that this may encourage more people to sign up to give the game a try.

He added: “I never expected it to get so big or that I would still be playing so many years later.

“I started to get into something different and just kept going.

“The focus is now on getting new people involved and take it out of the universities and into the local community.”

Last month Oxford Brookes’ Botley campus hosted the British Quidditch Cup with 32 teams participating, up from the 16 who took part when the city last hosted the same tournament in 2013.