Feared gamers ready to take on the world.

A feared team of aggressive competitors from Lincoln are hoping to clean up in the national championships.

But these aren’t The Imps – they’re computer game and comics fans who revel in the glory of taking on and defeating all-comers at the World Of Warcraft Trading Card Game.

Karl Bown, owner of Comic Culture in Lincoln, will lead a team of dedicated World Of Warcraft enthusiasts to the national competitions in Birmingham this weekend.

The team will be playing a variety of trading card and figure games at the finals, and have been practising hard over the past few weeks to perfect their play.

Mr Bown said Lincoln had some of the best players in the country, including national, regional and European champions.

“I’ve won two national championships for trading card games before, and our team has played all over the world, from New York to Los Angeles to Amsterdam,” he said.

“The grand prize for this weekend is an all-expenses paid trip to the world finals in Austin, Texas, as well as a high-end laptop.

“You’re talking a total prize fund of about £4,000, so there’s some big money involved.”

Mr Bown also explained he suspects other players across the country fear Lincoln’s skilled players.

“We hold tournaments in Lincoln, but we find that we don’t get many people from the outside daring to enter. They’d travel further to enter contests which don’t involve us.

“Whenever players from outside of the city come to compete, they rarely do well.

“I think it’s because there’s a strong community spirit, and everyone from Lincoln gets really involved.

“We hold sessions and workshops every Saturday at the Healthy Hub and we’ll have up to 40 people show up. The sessions are really good fun, and allow us to turn young players into potential champions.”

Other members of the Lincoln team explained what they were hoping to achieve at this weekend’s games.

Dean Coundon, 22, who works at the Healthy Hub, says he wants to better his previous success.

“I’ve come top eight in regional tournaments before, but this time I want to walk away with a trophy that says national champion.”

Trainee chef Danny Jones, 19, also known as “the squirrel”, said he got into the trading card game for something to do and found it entertaining.

“I’ve just got a new job, but I’m determined to stay dedicated and keep playing the game,” he said.

“I’ve even got my friends involved. My girlfriend wishes I’d get another hobby though!”

The National championships will take place this Saturday and Sunday at Birmingham’s National Motorcycling Museum near the NEC arena.

Comic Culture is Lincoln’s largest comic book store, found in The Mall of the High Street, and specialises in new and backdated issues of American comics. For more information, visit www.thegamesstore.com