11 facts about Quidditch as the Durham team prepares to play in European championships

But how much do you really know about Quidditch?

Launched into popularity by J.K. Rowling in the Harry Potter novels, the once-fictional sport has spread across the world with teams and competitions now held all over.

Next weekend more than 40 teams, including one from Durham, will compete in the European championships - and later this year, the Quidditch World Cup will be held.

With that in mind, we best get up to date! Check out our list of Quidditch facts, and make sure you learn them all before summer comes ... (I mean, you should know the rules already if you're a dedicated Potter fan).

1. There are three types of balls used in a game of Quidditch. The Quaffle, Bludgers and the Golden Snitch. Each game is played with four balls, though, as two Bludgers are used.

2. Quidditch is played on a broomstick - so good flying skills are essential!

3. The name of the game is to score the more points than the opposing team. Each goal with a Quaffle is worth ten points - but catching The Golden Snitch is worth 150 points. Catching the Snitch ends the game.

4. To score, Quaffles need to be put through one of three hooped goal posts (they look a bit like giant bubble-blowing sticks).

5. Quaffles are thrown from player to player in a bid to score, but Bludgers and the Golden Snitch are bewitched to fly on their own.

7. Each Quidditch team is made up of seven players.

8. The players are a Keeper, Seeker, two Beaters and three Chasers.

9. Harry Potter played the position of Seeker for the Gryffindor team. The Seeker's role is to catch the Golden Snitch.

10. Golden Snitches have flesh memories - the balls remember the first person who touches them. The makers where gloves, so generally the first person to touch the Snitch is the Seeker who catches it.

11. The Wronski Feint is a famous Quidditch move - perhaps most memorably performed by Bulgarian player Viktor Krum in a Quidditch World Cup final, against Ireland. In it, a Seeker makes a sharp dive from high in the air, as if to collect the Snitch, causing the opposing Seeker to chase after him. At the last moment, the Seeker will pull out of his dive, causing his opponent to crash into the ground below.