It's fast and furious and involves a great deal of bashing on four wheels - welcome to the Border City Rollers skating team.

The group, which meets three times a week in Carlisle and Brampton, has 40 members and is looking for new recruits or "fresh meat" to join its sessions.

Garryck Holmes, 26, started the group in July 2015 and since then interest has soared in the American sport that’s growing in popularity across UK.

He said: "I’d done ice skating before but not roller skating.

"I got the word out about starting a group and it stemmed from there.”

He says the group is made up of men and women of all shapes and sizes.

"It’s a bit like rugby on skates - that’s probably the best way I can describe it,” said Mr Holmes.

“It can be quite full on as it is a contact sport and it can be quite dangerous. It’s not violent but you do get banged."

The roller derby rules are that seven people skate anti-clockwise around a track for 30 minutes.

Two "jammers" aim to score points for their team by lapping members of the opposition, while the other five are "blockers”, who attempt to block jammers from breaking through the pack and scoring.

To protect themselves from the inevitable bangs and bashes, team members wear padding on their knees, wrists and elbows.

"We also wear helmets and a mouthguard," said Mr Holmes, who works as a technician at the University of Cumbria.

Face-offs are common and breaking through the pack is key.

Mr Holmes said: "The sessions are ideal for people looking to make new friends and get fit.

"We will teach you how to skate, stop and turn and how to play the magical game of roller derby."

The fresh meat sessions take place on Friday, March 3 at Harraby Community Centre in Carlisle and last 12 weeks.

The session starts at 8.30pm to 10pm.

The first session is free and it’s £10 after that - £5 for the hire of the hall and £5 for the kit hire. If you have your own kit it will cost £5 per session.

New members have to be over 18.

The group skates three times a week - once at William Howard School in Brampton and twice at Harraby Community Centre.

For more information contact Mr Holmes on 07983759832.