COBRAS Tae Kwon Do’s Adam Blything and Kevin Smith were the youngest students to achieve second-degree black belts within the ITS (Independent Tae Kwon Do Schools).

Heather Busby, Paul Higgins, Ryan Coles, Mark Adams, Jo Rodgers, Thomas Hodgson, Eleanor Jones and Tommy Ross were also successful.

They gained either first or second-degree black belts at the grading at Kidderminster Youth House which lasted more than five hours.

Cobras opened in March 2003 in Crowle and expanded into Worcester this year.

There is also a club in Peopleton and there are now more than 50 black belts overall.

Anyone interested can call chief instructor Leo Withers on 01562-69916 or 07508-726975.

Meanwhile, the Independent Martial Arts Association held their autumn black-belt grading at the Glades Leisure Centre, Kidderminster.

All students were graded under master Kevin Summers along with eight senior black-belt examiners.

Kidderminster adult students Alan Carter and Emily Batson took their first-degree black belts.

Second-degree black belts were achieved by Colin Robinson, Ryan Cotterill, Kate Leaning, Sam Meese, Matthew Nock, Fletcher Thomas and his sister Millie Thomas.

The club’s full-time instructor Matthew Ballard gained his fourth-degree black belt.

Chief instructor Russell Perks was also upgraded and is believed to be the only fifth-degree black belt in tae kwon do in the local area.

The gradings incorporated patterns, self-defence, sparring drills, freestyle fighting techniques, ground fighting, pad and bag work, fitness drills and board breaking.

The Tae Kwon Do Schools of Excellence now have more than 30 black belts with clubs in Kidderminster, Bewdley, Sytchampton and Bromsgrove.

Anyone interested can call Perks on 01562-636005 or 07977-245664.