NEARLY 200 people gathered in Swindon for the biggest Scrabble tournament in Britain.

Everyone from youngsters competing in their first big contest to world championship contenders took part in the event at Nationwide's Piper's Way headquarters

There were 192 competitors and 96 games going on at any one time.

The 8th Swindon Matchplay Scrabble tournament was expected to raise more than £1,000 for the Prospect Hospice.

The tournament was organised by Steve Perry of the Highworth Scrabble Club, who said this year's was his biggest ever, and the biggest one day tournament in Britain.

Housewife Wanda De Poitiers, 49, travelled from Fleet in Hampshire to take part in the tournament.

She said: "I have been playing Scrabble for 14 years and I love the variety and challenge of it. No two games are ever the same.

"To be a good Scrabble player you need good word knowledge and to be a good speller. If you really want to progress you need to work at it by doing things like studying word lists."