A WORCESTER coffee shop has found itself at the centre of a centre of the bizarre world of 'Pokémon GO' - a new online craze currently sweeping the globe.

Bemused staff at Costa coffee, in The Cross, were puzzled when groups of young people started gathering in the middle of the cafe staring intently at their mobile phones.

It wasn't until manager Dawn Brown was sent a screen grab from the game, which is yet to be officially released in the UK, that she discovered the cafe is a 'Pokéstop' - real world locations where players of the game can collect extra bonuses to help them in the virtual world.

Pokémon GO is a mobile game where players to capture, battle, and train virtual Pokémon, who appear in real world locations via their mobile phone screens.

Mrs Brown said: "I didn't know anything about it until someone sent me a photograph on Facebook.

"I said "Why is there a Pokémon there?" but thought nothing else of it.

"Today crowds and crowds of people keep coming in and playing Pokémon.

"I said to one of the kids "what are you doing?" and he explained it was a Pokéstop and the other Costa in St Martin's is a PokéGym (a location where Pokemon can be trained) which is why everyone was going to there too.

"It's bringing in a lot of business but what is going on in the world?

"A few people are buying things but some are just hovering to catch the Pokémon - it's a bit crazy.

"People are bemused by it wondering what's happening."

She said is is mainly young men in their early-20s playing the game.

"They are standing around in huddles and playing with their phones or walking until they get the Pokémon."

Pokémon GO player Jordan Scriven, age 21 and from Dudley, said he had managed to capture over 50 Pokémon at the cafe.

"I came down to Worcester on the train and noticed there was a Pokéstop at Costa.

"In the last hour I've caught about 50 Pokémon.

"It's just really addictive trying to take over gyms in different areas.

"It's a competition with other people in the region.

"What's great about it is it gets you walking about - I went for a walk for a couple of hours I went down the canal to catch other Pokémon."