A new Scrabble club meets at the Hub, Thie Rosien, in Port Erin on Monday evenings from 6.30pm.

All levels of ability are welcome to attend to brush up their game or discover a new interest.

Keen Scrabble player Gillian Street will be on hand to guide players through the art of clever word play.

For information about the club, which is an other community project run by Southern Community initiatives, see www.facebook.com/SCIatTheHub or email [email protected].

The club is good preparation for those interested in the upcoming inaugural Manx Scrabble Championship being held on May 9 and 10 at the Sefton Hotel in Douglas.

The event - affiliated with the Association of British Scrabble Players - has attracted the attention of the World Scrabble Players’ Association and there are entries from Scrabble grandmasters in Australia and New Zealand.

But the competition is open to all and there are three bands of ability: the top division is A, followed by lesser abilities in B and then C.

It is organised by Douglas resident Gillian because she was keen to find fellow Scrabble enthusiasts and play some good games.

The Australian, who moved to the island in 2017, rose to be West Australia Scrabble champion in 1995.

Gillian is a mid-B band level and to help others gauge their ability she can play against them.

Anyone new to the game can attend a novice workshop prior to the championship at 5.30pm on Friday, May 8.

To register visit https://tinyurl.com/ManxScrabbleChamionship; for information email [email protected] or phone 522773 (after 5pm).