A UNIVERSITY team which sailed through Jeremy Paxman's toughest questions on television has found itself stumped - by the local pub quiz.

The team from Durham University claimed its place among the country's top student minds by beating a team from Queens' College, Cambridge in the November 18 episode of University Challenge. It has now gone through to the second round, in which the final 16 teams from a total of 200 entrants will battle it out for the winner's trophy in the long-running BBC Two series.

But while the team was unfazed by the tough questions posed by quizmaster Jeremy Paxman, it has found itself baffled by those set by Don Wilson, his counterpart in Ye Old Elm Tree in Durham.

Team captain Chris Joby, 35, who is studying for an MA in theology at St John's College said: "I've been coming here for two years and it's got a reputation for being the toughest quiz in Durham.

"We won once and typically come second or third, but I think there are several groups of people who go from quiz night to quiz night, and they tend to win."

The team, also comprising Simon Harris, 22, James Henderson, 19, and Will Riley, 20, specialises in subjects including history, politics, philosophy, natural sciences and economics. Mr Harris said: "You have to be an expert on things like 1940s Western films."

Landlord David Cruddace said his quiz master was a force to be reckoned with."Don Wilson is an ex schoolteacher from Durham and his hobby is doing questions.

The quiz takes place every Wednesday from 9pm at Ye Old Elm Tree. The Durham University team will next appear on University Challenge on January 20.