MEET the women who are helping one of America's toughest sports take off in Glasgow - and men are banned from taking part.

Flat Track All Girl Roller Derby sees skaters battling around a circuit while the opposing team try to stop them.

It's a recognised sport in America but Glasgow is only the second Scottish city to set up a team.

Founder Teri McGonagle, 35, an internet trader from the city centre, got involved after learning of the sport online. Since February she has recruited 20 women to form Glasgow Roller Girls.

Teri said: "The game in America is as big as football. It's an aggressive sport. We wear thumb and mouth shields because it can get quite severe!

"It really gets your adrenaline going and it's great fun."

The first person to join the Glasgow squad was Quentin Younger, 34, a mum-of-two from the West End. She said: "It's exercise, but it's exciting and a bit out of the norm with a bit of a punk attitude. It's bound to catch on here."

Teri, who says the risk of injuries doesn't put players off at all, eventually hopes to take the team to visit its counterparts in the US who include the Dallas Derby Devils, the Gotham Girls Roller Derby from New York, and from Las Vegas the Sin City Roller Girls.

She is looking for skaters, as well as referees and coaches, who can be male.

The team trains and plays at Caledonian University. Many are in their 30s and include nurses and housewives but the sport has a tough, punk rock image, and injuries are common.

A team is made three blockers', a pivot', and a jammer' who must get through the other team's blockers'.

It sounds like something out of Rollerball, the 1975 thriller starring James Caan, - a high-velocity blend of football, motor-cross and hockey. Rollerball was remade in 2001 starring Chris Klein. Women interested in joining can e-mail the team on glasgowrollergirls@yahoo.co.uk