Instead of traditional five-a-side football, Smye Holland Associates is organising a human table football tournament to raise money for the Multiple Sclerosis Society.

This alternative version of the popular table-top game will see people strapped to giant poles to battle it out to be named champion.

The Smye Holland Associates "Gladiators" team is inviting its clients and other organisations in and around the city to submit teams to compete in the tournament.

A number of teams with names such as "The Hoods"(Peter Brotherhood), the "Salad Munchers" (The Greenery) and the "Hot Potatoes" (Webroster) have already signed up to this unique challenge.

The tournament is being held at Tallington Lakes, near Peterborough, on June 5, from 6pm to 9pm. Each team will play up to four 10-minute matches until one is crowned champion.

The Smye Holland Associates Gladiators team is already busy training for the event with players from Peterborough United FC, including goalkeeper James McKeown, already recruited to give the team top training advice.

Account executive at Smye Holland Associates and Gladiator team member Emily Anniss said: "We will be facing strong competition from the teams that have signed up to play in the tournament, so we've decided to start training early!

"We've received an overwhelming response, with 16 teams already signed up.

"The idea has really caught people's imagination and we are hoping to raise a large amount of money for the Multiple Sclerosis Society."