AN EXPLOSIVE card game is to hit the shelves to educate people about volcanoes.

Volcanoes Top Trumps has been created by volcanologists at Oxford and Plymouth universities and the University of East Anglia.

Players can pit the destructive forces of Krakatoa and Vesuvius against Yellowstone and Etna in a special limited edition of the game.

It features 30 volcanoes across the world ranked for deadliness, height, unpredictability and potential devastation. The Strengthening Resilience in Volcanic Areas (STREVA) project came up with the idea as an educational tool.

All profits from sales will go to help people affected by volcanic activity.

They were supported by Oxford Sparks, who last year produced an educational animation on volcanoes.

Prof David Pyle, of Oxford University’s Department of Earth Sciences, said: “This is a fantastic opportunity to have fun, share experiences, and create something with educational benefits.”