RICHARD Fewkes has proved that age is just a number.

The 47-year-old JKS European veterans' kumite champion was competing for Farsley-based Leeds Karate Academy in the JKS England Squad Competition.

And, despite often facing opponents who were 20 to 25 years younger, he won five fights to reach the final in Leeds, clubmate Stephen Brown taking bronze.

Bradford teenager Emelye O'Brien, who won the girls' kumite title last year, won the ladies' crown this time around, winning the final with an explosive head kick.

Tom Little added to his recent victory at the JKS England Open Nationals in winning the male kumite event in what was a fantastic start to 2015 for the Farsley club and their full-time dojo.

Twenty Leeds Karate Academy club members took part, with Farsley junior Joe Hird showing his all-round ability by claiming silver in the kids' kata and bronze in the boys' kumite, Sarah Howarth taking silver and Georgia Freer bronze in the girls' kumite.

David Lister and Lewis Bradbury fought a terrific final in the boys' kumite, with David narrowly claiming the title with a fantastic head kick from a clinch to earn a Ippon and the win. In the mixed senior kata event, Jordan Weatherley took an excellent bronze.

On the same day, some of the club's younger members were competing at the York Karate Championships.

In the eight year and below kata, Chevy Howarth took Gold, Peter Harrison silver and Samuel Acaster bronze in a Farsley clean sweep, while in the five to seven years tag kumite, Ethan Phelps won silver and his brother Rhys bronze. Chevy also took silver in the eight to nine years' mixed kumite.

Anyone interested in starting karate should contact Nick Heald on 07747-607283 or n_heald@hotmail.com or see the club website at www.lka.org.uk.