Broomsticks at the ready for quidditch games (From The Oxford Times)

Broomsticks at the ready for quidditch games

10:00am Saturday 9th June 2012 in Oxford

AN international tournament of a game based on the Harry Potter book series will take place for the first time in Oxford next month.

The two-day quidditch event, featuring teams from the UK, America, France and Australia, will take place as part of the city’s Olympic Torch celebrations, which take place on Monday, July 9.

The tournament, organised by governing body the International Quidditch Association, will take place at Cutteslowe Park from noon to 6pm on July 8.

A day of demonstrations and open games will then take place the following day at South Park as part of celebrations to welcome the Olympic Torch to Oxford.

Quidditch, created by Harry Potter author JK Rowling, is a game in which broomstick-riding wizards race through the air to catch a particularly fast ball – the snitch.

In the ground-based game, players carry the broomsticks and run around chasing a person dressed as the snitch. The quidditch association said there are more than 500 registered teams around the world.

Oxford City Council has given the association the space to hold the demonstrations and open games at the Olympic Torch event.