The sport of axe throwing may not be something that is well known in the UK but in recent times its popularity in America has surged.

Derek Hill and Jeff Hillier loved it so much when they tried it in Las Vegas that they decided to bring it back to Norfolk by setting up their own range at Tattersett Business Park.

The new owners of Maniaxe were holidaying in America with their wives when they decided to try their hand at throwing axes at wooden targets and Mr Hill explained that was when a lightbulb in his head went off.

'We spent about two hours there and enjoyed it so much,' he said. 'When we went to hand the axes back and leave we were chatting to the staff and I said it's a pity there isn't anything like this in England and the chap behind the desk said why don't you open one?

'Five months later and here we are.'

Maniaxe also includes escape rooms, where the aim is to solve a number of puzzles and clues to find your way out of a locked room.

Mr Hillier was already operating an escape room business in King's Lynn but decided to combine this with an axe throwing range at a new premises.

He said: 'When we were looking for a venue for the axe throwing, we had in mind that it would be good to have escape rooms with it.

'When this takes off, the ones in King's Lynn will be finished and here will take over.'

There are currently two escape rooms being operated which have two different themes, one being a school classroom which involves solving several subject based problems and a horror room which aims to scare as well as challenge those inside.

Despite only opening a month ago, Mr Hill believes that both the escape rooms and the axe throwing range can prove a success in Norfolk.

He added: 'Axe throwing is very addictive. Once people start it, they want to get better.

'The weekends are busy and hopefully during the holiday season it'll pick up.'

Mr Hill is also planning on expanding Maniaxe, with both himself and Mr Hillier completing all the building work themselves.

He said: 'The coffee shop should be open in a couple of weeks and two race rooms, where teams will race against each other to escape, are also being built.'