The Swindon Matchtight Scrabble tournament was the biggest Scrabble one-day tournament held in Britain, with close to 200 people attending.

Organiser Steve Perry, of the Highworth Scrabble Club, said he was delighted with the 192-strong turnout.

The players ranged from youngsters taking part for the first time to several competitors who were warming up for the Scrabble world championships in Kuala Lumpur.

These are due to be held later in the year.

Held in the Nationwide building in Piper's Way, Swindon on Sunday the event raised almost £2,000 for the Prospect Hospice.

Mr Perry said: "I am really pleased with the way it went, we had a great turnout and I think everyone enjoyed themselves.

"We had a really exciting mix of people, including six players who are on the World Champion-ship team."

And the tournament winner was one of those team members - 23-year-old Harshan Lamabada-suriya, a Sri Lankan medical student studying at Oxford.

He won £30 and the Nationwide sponsored trophy.