Players must wear a mask and follow strict guidelines at all times while playing. Statistically speaking paintball is safe, but of course getting hit by a paintball tends to and leave a welt, but it's usually no worse than the bruises, bumps and scratches that people get playing other sports.

Parents are welcome to listen to the safety talks and are more than welcome to stay and play. Paintball is a great fun family day out, and an incredible way for dads and lads and mothers and daughters to bond. Or, if you prefer to leave them in our safe hands you can trust us to look after your Young Guns, as they will be fully supervised all day. But to be honest all of our players are fully supervised to make their day an enjoyable and safe one.

At Topgun we take safety very seriously and all our Marshals are fully trained. If any player is deemed a danger to themselves or others then they will be removed from the game and no longer allowed to participate. It's as simple as that. All rules are explained at the safety briefing before the games begin and must be followed.

We abide by the UKPSF industry standard and do not allow children under 11 years old to play paintball. But because we don't want to disappoint we also offer outdoor lasers at Laser Battlefield. This is not just for children by the way, the laser equipment is state-of-the-art and used for training purposes by the forces. Check out our website www.laserbattlefield.co.uk

Everyone from 11 years and over is the answer. Paintball is also a popular way for businesses show appreciation of staff and customers. You can give your staff a reward for exceeding targets or develop team skills or bring your valued customers to say thank you and show how much you value their loyalty.

School, college and university students love the paintball experience, it's a chance to work as a team and use up all that surplus energy..

Paintball is ideal for the office party 'warm-up' and is one of the most popular activities for the Stag or Hen Party, or even Hen and Stag party.

We pefer it if you phone at least 2 weeks before you would like to play, but if you want to play on the day, and we can accommodate you and your group, we will. Try to ring us first though. Booking in advance is always the best policy to avoid disappointment.

We accept cash and all major credit cards, except American Express.

From one player upwards basically. If you want to come and play paintball on your own then we'll just fit you in with a group. The more players you book up for, the more discount you get. We have special deals all the time so just ring us for the current offers. We can accommodate up to 300 players at Topgun Paintball and have two sites to choose from, our main themed venue near Newcastle, and Witton Castle, Bishop Auckland, near Durham.

At Topgun we provide you with overalls which are worn over your normal clothes. You need to make sure that you can move freely and are comfortable during the day, so loose fitting is best. You must wear boots or shoes that support your ankles.

How long is a piece of string - Paint usage will differ for every player so its impossible to give an accurate answer, but often it is somewhere between 200 and 600+.

If you are paying for a group (eg a kids birthday party) then you should try to allow at least 200 balls per child, after that they can always purchase their own if they need more.

If you have opted for a full day you should usually arrive at around 9am. If you have chosen the half-day option you begin at approx 12.30. We are very flexible, so just ask us if it's ok for you to start at a certain time when you contact us.

On arrival you and your group will fill in or hand in your disclaimer forms (fill them in beforehand and save time, (click here for disclaimers) at the site office and you will then be issued with your equipment. Once everyone is fully kitted out, our experienced Marshals will give the safety briefing and demonstration before the games begin.

You can play approximately 6 to 12 missions, depending on how long you wish to play, it's up to you. You can opt for a full day or a half-day. Occasionally the finish time may be earlier if visibility is poor, for safety reasons.

No. You must purchase paintballs from Topgun, this is for safety and environmental reasons.

We suggest that you wear jeans or baggy trousers under the coveralls we provide to give a bit of extra padding. We can provide free chest and back protectors, but a hit from a paintball is really not that painful, but it depends on the individuals pain threshold, and where you are hit.

How long is a piece of string? It's entirely down to how trigger-happy you are. But as a rough estimate, around 500 - 600 paintballs could be used during your day.

Your day starts at 9am prompt, so we can issue your kit and give you a safety talk.

You'll be given a safety talk by Topgun Paintball Marshals once you've been kitted out with your equipment. Your safety is our priority along with your enjoyment and you will be shown the safety zomes and game zones.

Yes the guns use harmless infrared technology similar to that used for TV remote controls.

No, there are no projectiles fired.

You'll be running around woodland so we advise you to wear adequate footwear and comfortable clothing to wear under the camouflage overalls provided. Long sleeved tops are recommended for young children as we provide them with t-shirts and not camouflage overalls.

No, weather conditions do not adversely affect play at Laser Battlefield, our guns are tough and use cutting edge technology.

Laser Battlefield is suitable for anyone able to carry the laser guns. We recommend from six years of age.

YES, at Laser Battlefield once you pay your fee, the equipment overalls and ammunition are free, so there won't be any nasty shocks at the end of the day if you get carried away with your trigger finger.

No, this is a non-projectile sport using harmless infrared and not true lasers, so protective eyewear is not required.

There are sensors on the guns and on the hats. Each time the sensor is hit, the gun will register it.

Yes. Parents are welcome to stay and watch, but if they want they can join in with the action.