New Age Kurling is the new craze at the Selsey Centre – and several groups of keen kurlers have already given the sport a bash.

The game involves a set of stones on wheels, some target mats and the option of using a pushing stick if you don't feel like bending down.

"It's quite a simple game but it's relatively skilful," said Mervyn Hall, manager of the Selsey Centre at Manor Road.

"It looks easy but when you actually come to it, you've got to have a bit of skill there.

"It can be quite a serious sport and local championships are taking place.

"People in wheelchairs can play, too. A ramp came with the set but we're still figuring out how it works.

"If the sport really takes off we may get another set.

"As well as kurling, we've got skittles and table tennis. There's a load of other things happening."

The grandly-named Hayling Island World Singles and Doubles Championships take place in May.

The sport has become more popular since it was invented in 2000 by John Bennett, who is also chairman of the Great Britain Kurling Association.

There are many clubs which play the sport in West Sussex and Hampshire, including at Chichester, Lewes and Brighton.

Much like the winter sport, the aim of New Age Kurling is to roll the stones from a distance onto a target mat which has a scoring system.

The closer to the centre of the target, the more points are earned.

The stones are on wheels so require nothing else to move them along – just like the Olympic version on ice – and guide them onto the target mat.

Assistant manager at the centre Peter Cozens said: "Someone in the centre heard about it and we thought we should give it a go.

"It would be good if we could get a league going and it's quite possible a team could be started.

"I think it could really take off in Selsey. It would be good to look at the championships in Hayling Island and maybe bring them into Selsey."

The introduction of the colourful sport comes just before the Selsey Centre celebrates its first anniversary, on St George's Day.

The leisure centre boasts a sports hall, dance studio – which has underfloor heating – and a conference room. There is a play area and dog-walking area behind the building.