IN 2013, Matt Tidbury released his first board game.

Now, numerous iterations and commendations later, the games guru is rolling out his latest creation – Alana's Animals.

This week the Didcot dad-of-three took the educational, animal-tastic card game for a spin at West Witney Primary School and it proved another hit.

Like his first two games, Alana's Animals is designed to help children learn maths by using it to win – it just helps that they love playing it as well.

The school's maths co-ordinator Caroline King said: "I thought it was brilliant.

"The children are so engaged when they're playing the game but they're learning at the same time.

"They're using mathematical language like 'more' and 'less' and counting so they're learning but they don't even realise it."

Mr Tidbury has built up a good relationship with the school since he took in his first game City of Zombies and teachers loved it.

Children's parents bought so many copies after that visit that he gave some to the school for free as well.

For teachers, his games represent that holy grail of educating and entertaining all at once.

Mrs King added: "I think it stems from the fact that he first designed games for his own children because he saw the games they were playing that were supposed to be educational just weren't."

Mr Tidbury first invented City of Zombies with his children in about 2009.

He – and they – were so impressed with how much better it was than their other games he determined to release it to the world.

His day job as a design consultant helped him polish it up and impress publishers at Cartamundi.

He took it schools, education conventions and board games shows and won plaudits wherever he went.

City of Zombies was followed in 2015 by Times Square – another zombie-battling board game where players have to use their times tables to defeat the undead.

In 2016 he was invited to show his games to a primary school teachers' 'maths hub' in Dorset.

He said: "During the meeting I discovered that many children are starting school lacking any understanding of numbers and quantities.

"I created Alana’s Animals as a fun and entertaining way to solve this problem."

In the latest game, players collect cards with different numbers of pigs, sheep, cows or chickens, but they have to use their counting skills to win the most points.

Mr Tidbury said: "Alana’s animals is a fun and exciting way to teach children the essential maths skills for when they start school."

The game is aimed at two to four players aged three and up. It is available from thinknoodlegames.com or The Games Keeper in Cowley Road, Oxford. RRP is £14.99