A GWENT pub boules team are travelling to Thailand to represent Wales in the sport’s world championships.

The Petanque team from the Wheatshead Inn in Llanhennock, Caerleon, will take on opposition from around the world in front of packed stadiums – thousands of miles away from the pub car park they usually train and compete in.

Petanque is a form of boules played on gravel with palm-sized metal balls which are thrown as close to a small wooden ball, called a jack, as possible.

Gemma Foster, 27, from Newport, Gillian Brace from Glascoed, Barbara Vaughan from Cwmbran and Gay Murphy from Penarth will be the first women to represent Wales at world-level.

They qualified by winning the Welsh championships, which the pub hosted in May, and train three or four times a week.

The team will fly to Bangkok on November 10 before travelling to Suphanburi, where the four-day competition begins on November 13.

On their first night they will have a meal with the other 31 teams, during which the draw will be made and they will discover who they are to face.

The hosts have previously won the tournament five times and the women would relish the chance to take them on in front of thousands of fans.

Team captain Gemma Foster said: "The sport’s huge over in Thailand but not very well known here.

"It's growing though and it's a great game because anyone of any age can give it a go."

Among the other countries competing are Australia, Japan, Madagascar, Russia, Vietnam and Canada.

The team raised more than £3,000 to cover the costs of their flights and kit through comedy and quiz nights, cake stalls, a Thai food evening, a raffle and sponsorship from local businesses.

The costs of their hotel and meals will be covered by the competition’s organisers.

Some of the team members are planning to spend a fortnight travelling around Thailand after the tournament.