Successful students from the Ilkley Karate Club based at the Ben Rhydding Methodist Church won numerous trophies at the SKU National Kumite Championships 2003 held at Stalybridge.

The Ilkley Club run by instructors Mark Outterside (4th Dan) and Simon Holden (1st Dan) came away with an amazing six first places, a second place and two third place trophies.

Only 16 Ilkley students that took part in the competition, which makes the results even more pleasing for the instructors.

In the girls' junior grade kumite (free fighting) event Amey Spink came away with a second place trophy after storming through the eliminations rounds.

Amey was unlucky in the final match and lost by a narrow margin.

Eleven year-old Andrew Johnston stole the show by winning the boys' junior grade under 4ft 6ins category.

Andrew won all his bouts with a comfortable margin in a category that had over 40 competitors.

Fellow club member Jack Hanson took a well-deserved third place trophy in the same category after narrowly losing by one point in the final seconds of the bout.

Ten-year-old Tashina Earle took the first place in the girls' junior grade under 5ft category. This now takes Tashina's trophy tally to a staggering 12 trophies in as many months since she started.

Competing for the second time new comer India Nolson Fearnley won the girls under 5ft 6 ins category and fellow club member Jenny Mann came third.

In boys' brown belt event Ken Corless, a current member of the Cadet England Squad, once again proved how talented he is by winning the boys' brown belt under 5ft category.

This was a new and larger category for Ken with over 36 of the SKU's finest fighters. Ken had previously won the British under 4ft 6 ins category last year and was therefore competing against children a lot larger than himself.

Ken is also due to compete for England in June against a Spanish team.

Maria Corless (13) also put in a fantastic performance by winning the girls' brown belt under 5ft category this made it a double win for the Corless family.

The Ilkley success didn't stop there as Faye Cooke won the girls' brown belt under 5ft 6 category.

Club Instructor Mark Outterside said: "These results are the best to date which just goes to show how strong the Ilkley club really is and this will have now put Ilkley well and truly on the map.

"The club is currently celebrating its 15th anniversary and these results make our anniversary even more pleasing."

Hana White, Jamie Cheikh, Callum Bruce, Junaid White, Ashley Woodhouse, William Coates and adults Steve Scott and Michael Neild also did very well on the day.

Anyone interested in joining the club should contact Mark Outterside on 01943 601297 or visit the club website on www.ilkleykarate.co.uk.

The first three lessons are free. Adult's classes are taught separately.