WHEN Mike Hipwell broke his neck playing rugby he was left wheelchair-bound and thought he would never play the sport he loved again.

Now, four years on, his team are champions of Europe.

For Mike, of Tintern Road, West Harrow, holding aloft the Europa Cup with his London Wheelchair Rugby Club team-mates was every bit as good as anything he achieved as an able-bodied player.

A proud Mike has many enduring memories of that famous win back in February this year.

He said: "It was a fantastic day. We were up against nine other teams from around Europe, all champions of their own national leagues.

"In the final we faced the Flemish Lions of Belgium. It was very close but we managed to seal the win."

The courageous London side, who train in Stanmore, slayed the Lions, coming back from two points behind to steal a dramatic win deep into extra-time.

Mike said: "We were chasing the game most of the time but it was our tactics that eventually won it for us."

Wheelchair rugby is a game that combines the tactical with the physical. Mike describes it as being "like chess, but with violence". The game was founded in Canada and originally dubbed "murderball".

Although called "rugby", it combines elements of a number of sports. Teams of four wheel-off on a basketball court, play with a volleyball and score goals, not tries, like in football.

The aim is to cross your opponents' goal line. Players hold the ball in their laps or hands and have 10 seconds in which to pass or bounce to a team-mate.

One point is awarded for each goal and a high-scoring affair can result in teams scoring more than 20 goals each.

Body contact is not permitted, but matches are not for the faint-hearted, with players allowed to ram their chairs into an opponent's to put them off.

Players with varying degrees of disability can all compete. They are awarded points depending on the severity of their physical impairment.

Mike explained: "A player with half-a-point has the most serious impairment, for example, no finger movement, limited wrist movement and weak triceps.

"A player valued at three-and-a-half points will have stronger arms and triceps, just weaker fingers."

The four players on court must not exceed a points tally of eight.

Mike said: "The great thing about wheelchair rugby is that anyone with a disability can get involved."

This Sunday, Mike and the team will take part in a charity tournament at Harrow Leisure Centre in Christchurch Avenue, Wealdstone, between 3pm and 6pm.

Their goal is to raise money for training equipment, as players need specially designed chairs to compete.

The focus of the day will be getting the able-bodied to play wheelchair rugby under the expert tutelage of the London team. The Mayor of Harrow, Councillor Mano Dharmarajah is expected to attend.

For sponsorship forms or more information, contact Harrow Leisure Centre on 020 8901 5980.