IT is a sport devised for witches and wizards by author JK Rowling for her popular Harry Potter series of books.

But on Hampstead Heath, players competing in games of quidditch are showing it can be played outside of the walls of Hogwarts – even without magical powers.

The London Unspeakables quidditch team has made the great open space their main training ground and are now practising there every Saturday. The team was initially formed by students at the Univer­sity of London who have since graduated, so membership has expanded to include all-comers.

Team member Fiona Howat, 24, explained how a half-deflated volleyball is used for a “quaffle”, a couple of dodgeballs become “bludgers”, and their “broomsticks” are simply PVC pipes. As for “the golden snitch”, a person dressed in yellow runs around the pitch with a tennis ball inside a sock hanging out of their pocket, which the seeker tries to snatch from them.

But despite the sport’s magical roots, Ms Howat admits she is not actually much of a Harry Potter fan, preferring Dr Who and Star Trek. As some­one who used to “avoid sports like the plague” Ms Howat dis­covered her love for quidditch after trying it at a pop-culture convention.

“I never used to play any sports at all, I was quite tall and was always last to be picked in high school and university. It wasn’t for me,” she said. “But then I went to a Nine Worlds Convention and had a go at a quidditch demo. It was something different, and I realised it was a really good workout. It’s mixed gender. You get to tackle really huge, gruff rugby guys to the ground and it feels amazing.”

So, while some form of appreciation of Harry Potter is an element, she explained that it is not the most important part. 

“I’ve met some players from Bangor. They are rugby lads who love the intensity of the sport but none of them like Harry Potter. You can shout ‘Muggle’ (a non-magical person) at them and they wouldn’t know what you were saying, but they are still playing.” 

A quidditch match in progress on the Heath

With origins in the US, the sport has spread in popularity, with around 25 teams around the UK and competitions, such as the upcoming Global Games in Canada, bringing together teams from around the world.

Ms Howat said that the Heath is “one of the friendliest places” they have ever played. 

She added: “Lots of children stop to watch, they get really excited at seeing quidditch.”

People are welcome to join a quidditch training session on Saturdays from 12-3pm on the Heath. Due to the physical nature of the sport, it is only open to those over 16 – though a less rough version known as “kidditch” is available for younger players.

HOW QUIDDITCH IS PLAYED

Based on the magical sport played on broomsticks in the Harry Potter series, three “chasers” pass a big ball called a “quaffle” between them, and throw it through large hoops, past a keeper, to score points. To make things more difficult, two more players try to knock opposite team members off their brooms by aiming heavy balls called “bludgers” at them. The final element is “the golden snitch” – a speedy little ball with wings which another player known as a “seeker” tries to catch to score big points and decide which of the two teams wins.