HARRY Potter was a champion at it.

And now a team made up of local “muggles” has joined wizarding folklore by becoming Quidditch winners.

Four teams battled it out at Millbrook Rugby Club, in Redbridge Lane, on Saturday to be crowned southern champions of the inaugural Quidditch Premier League (QPL).

The Southeast Knights, which had representatives from Southampton, demolished their rivals – London Monarchs, Southwest Broadside and Eastern Mermaids – to clinch the maiden trophy.

Inspired by JK Rowling’s Harry Potter series, Quidditch is a rapidly growing, full contact mixed gender sport with a strong focus on lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender inclusivity, attracting players from a wide range of backgrounds who run around a field instead of flying.

Founding director of the QPL, Jack Lennard, said: “It’s a rapid sport and it can get quite physical out there, but it’s so inclusive. We are a real community.

“You do get some people laughing when they see it for the first time, but after watching it for five minutes they can see it’s a serious sport.”

Victorious player-manager Michael Ansell said: “The only way I can explain what this game is like is four people playing handball while two play dodgeball and two play rugby.”