It is a fun team activity that is less painful than paintball and is causing a stir in Norfolk after travelling across the pond.

Gel Blaster sees teams blasting each other with water "gellets".

And now people in the county are enjoying the chance to battle each other with Gel Blaster Surge weapons thanks to a father and daughter based at a former military airfield.

When offered the chance to become one of the first spots in the UK to offer Gel Blaster, Mark and Georgie Keddie, who run Scorpion Airsoft, jumped at the chance.

Based on the former RAF West Raynham airbase, Scorpion Airsoft provides activities, such as paintball.

It has been taken over by the new craze, offering the Gel Blaster game at its base after it was approached to become one of the first partner sites in the UK.

It has proved such a hit since last June that they are extending its offer, with a glow-in-the-dark battle zone soon to open.

The father and daughter duo who run the business were not surprised by its popularity.

“You are always sceptical launching a new product, and we have done plenty over the years, but when we were approached by Gel Blaster and we looked at how it went in the States and its ethos then we got right behind it," Mr Keddie said.

“It got us excited and when we started to run it it was gaining momentum immediately, we could see why the product was so highly rated.

“Both kids and adults alike love it, we are just about to launch a glow-in-the-dark battle zone in our World War Two bunker."

Fakenham & Wells Times: Father and daughter duo who run Scorpion Airsoft at the former RAF base, Mark (front row, centre) and Georgie Keddie (Front row, second from right) Father and daughter duo who run Scorpion Airsoft at the former RAF base, Mark (front row, centre) and Georgie Keddie (Front row, second from right) (Image: Scorpion Airsoft)

Miss Keddie added: “We can lessen or increase the amount of pain players can feel, on the higher settings it is described as like being pinged with an elastic band, but can bring it down so you barely feel it.” 

In the next month, the base has nine birthday parties as well as almost fully booked open sessions to play the game.

Fakenham & Wells Times: Scorpion Airsoft in West Raynham has seen a shot of popularity with it offering the gel blasters game at its base since June 2023Scorpion Airsoft in West Raynham has seen a shot of popularity with it offering the gel blasters game at its base since June 2023 (Image: Scorpion Airsoft)

The duo also said the next 12 months are expected to be just as busy, with innovation in the market, including Gel Blaster's new Nexus program, which is described as a merging of video games and reality. 

What is Gel Blaster?

Designed by engineers in Austin, Texas, Gel Blaster is described as being similar to paintball but without the mess and intense pain, you know when you’ve been hit, but it will not leave a mark.

Teams are split into two, and for two hours fight against one another using the Gel Blaster Surge, described as a mess-free, non-toxic, weapon capable of two blaster modes, semi-automatic or fully automatic, blasting ten revolutionary water-based ‘gellets’ that are eco friendly and mess-free at a velocity of 100 feet per second.

The ammunition means there are little to no issues with bruises or welts, allowing players to focus on having fun instead of worrying about getting hit.

When players are hit in any game they play they return to "spawn" and hop straight back into the action.