AFTER months of trying to train up enough players to compete in matches, a North-East team is hoping to skate into the British Championships for the first time.

Durham City Rolling Angels is hoping to enter the roller derby British Championships and is trying to raise the funds it needs to travel all over the country for matches.

The club now has about 20 people skating every week, with 12 able to play in matches

Claire Turner, who has been training the club for about a year, said: “It’s taken us such a long time to get enough players to go into games. It’s been seven months of graft.

“We are hyped and ready. We’re on a steep learning curve but we’re there to compete, we’re not there to make up numbers.

“We’ll give it all on the track.”

They are holding fundraisers during the summer and autumn and are also hoping to find a business to sponsor them.

The club is hosting a family fun day at the Spectrum Leisure Centre in Willington between 1pm and 3pm on Sunday, August 28 to raise money.

There will be a bouncy castle, soft play, raffles, face painting, stalls, cakes and bikes and trikes.