An underwater rugby team are gearing up for their first international tournament.

The Putney-based side will be the first UK club to ever take part in the competition.

The 10-strong team are jetting off to Florence for the contest on May 24 and 25 In November last year, the Wandsworth Guardian reported on the founding of the PURE Underwater Rugby Club, which has since gone on to appear on BBC's The One Show.

The team train at Putney Leisure Centre, and are Britain’s first ever side to take up the sport.

The game is played in a swimming pool, with competitors wearing snorkels and masks.

Points are scored by dunking the ball in the opposition’s basket.

The ball is filled with sea water to stop it floating to the surface.

The PURE Underwater Rugby Club was started by 33-year-old Oliver Kraus.

The Slovakian database manager used to play the sport in his home country before moving to London.

After months of failing to find a club in the UK, he decided to start his own.