Halifax Bruising Banditas roller derby team have joined the British Championships.

Training under captain Nina Bentley at Huddersfield Sports Centre and Threeways in Calderdale, the Banditas will take part in the Tier 3 North Region along with five other teams.

They will host their first match on Saturday, January 25, at North Bridge Leisure Centre in Halifax when the Banditas take on Liverpool Rollerbirds.

It’s a double-header, with Furness Firecrackers also taking on Sheffield Steel Rollergirls.

Captain Bentley explained: “We are really looking forward to playing in the British Championships, which have been created to bring more structure to the roller derby season with over 100 teams taking part.

“While we have a Calderdale focus, we train at Huddersfield Sports Centre once a week and have quite a number of players from the Huddersfield area.

“Roller derby is a real grassroots sport and our games are really suited to people new and old to the sport, while families love coming along as we also have a kids corner to keep children entertained. Also, entry is free for children under 12.”

Halifax Bruising Banditas are ranked 68th in Europe and in 2015 will play Sheffield, Liverpool, Dundee Roller Derby, Granite City Roller Derby (Aberdeen) and Furness.

“Roller derby is a rapidly growing sport, and England is one of the leading countries,” added Bentley.

“We’ve just had the second roller derby World Cup, held in Dallas, when over 30 countries competed at a top athletic level.

“England made it to the final but, unfortunately, lost in a close battle to the USA.”

The Banditas welcome anyone who wants to try the sport and host a new skater programme on a Tuesday evenings at Threeways (all levels of ability can attend but they must be 18 or over).

They train on Thursdays at Huddersfield Sports Centre from 8.30pm and on Sundays at Threeways from 1pm.