A GROUP of Herefordshire students are preparing to compete for Team GB at the Junior Roller Derby World Cup.

Eight students will be jetting off to Philadelphia in the USA this coming July, as the team make their debut at the tournament.

With seven youngsters making the main squad, and one the reserves, Hereford Poison Berries Junior Roller Derby can boast the highest number of players in the team.

The team consists of: Marianne Corrick- Gough, Verity Corrick- Gough, Rowan Parry, Beth Parry, Izzy Farkas, Cordelia Abel, Lawrence Abel and Charlotte Hurdley.

The 24 strong team recently met for their first training session at The Hereford Academy when they were joined by team mates from Eastbourne, Hastings, Bideford, Lincoln and Sheffield.

Supporting the coaching team are three of Hereford Roller Derbys coaches Tristan Dodd, Barb and Rob Corrick.

Barb Corrick said that the youngsters will face tough competition at the tournament from America, Canada, Australia and a European side.

"The sport is absolutely huge in America and Australia where it is one of the biggest stadium fillers," said Hereford Poison Berries head junior coach Corrick.

"We have worked really hard in the last four years to push the sport and there are now four main teams in the country. We started as Team England last November but wanted it to be inclusive so formed Team GB.

"It's the first time that Team GB have taken part in the World Cup. We took between 25 and 30 Team GB players to a tournament in Copenhagen last year but it is their first big tournament playing together.

Roller derby is a contact sport played by two teams roller skating in the same direction around a track. One person in both team is designate a 'jammer' who wears a stared helmet and scores points by lapping members of the opposing team.

The teams attempt to hinder the opposing 'jammer' while assisting their own.

Several of the teenagers also appeared in a short BBC film made during the Olympic Games as part of the #GetInspired series.

The team will be joined in the USA by 16 year old Amelia Corrick-Gough who is Europe’s youngest tournament referee with over 30 games under her belt.

Leading up to the World Cup on July 23 and 24 Corrick-Gough will be officiating at the American Championships.

To help fund their trip Hereford Poison Berries will be holding a family fun day fundraiser at The Victory, in Hereford, on May 19.