JUDO: Samurai Judo Club's Debbie Read put up an arresting performance at the European Police Championships in Hungary and finished fifth.

The former British junior, university and police champion, a second-level black belt, is one of the club's most successful players ever.

Read, who works in Handsworth but lives in Kidderminster, started judo at the age of eight more than 15 years ago.

Most major police forces in Europe sent their best players for the championships which are held every four years.

Read was one of seven from Great Britain and she got off to a good start with a first-round win.

She then started nervously against a Czech woman and conceded a minor score near the end to lose, despite fighting back strongly in between.

It left Read needing three wins to take the bronze and she achieved the first against a Latvian.

After just 30 seconds of the next contest against a muscular Pole, she unleashed her favourite throw, one of the best of the tournament, to triumph by maximum points.

But in the bronze fight-off against a Dutch woman, Read lost to finish a creditable fifth.

Her opponent swapped her stance to perform a skillful, decisive throw.

For details about starting judo, call Pam Whiteside on 01299 822347 or visit their website at www.samurai.org.uk