A group of promising young boxers have returned to the county after leaving their mark on a top gym in Tenerife.

A total of 21 members from Berinsfield Amateur Boxing Club descended on the TKO Gym in Los Cristianos and showed off their ability in luxury surroundings normally reserved for professionals.

During the week-long stay, rising star Richard Tyler, 16, from Didcot, completed a mountainous eight-mile altitude run in record time — beating the previous best time set by Commonwealth lightweight champion Amir Khan.

In addition, every one of the club's male and female youngsters, who ranged from 11 to 22-years-old, completed the course — an unusual feat for an amateur group.

The £4,500 trip was financed through sponsorship and fundraising — including a 24-hour boxathon last month — which meant the 17 young members and four adults only had to pay for their flights.

Organiser Mel Corrigan said: "We had an absolutely wonderful time.

"The kids trained three times a day — doing road running in the mornings, then pad work and sparring in the gym and swimming in the pool.

"They were well looked after, with good food and a great setting — that's what it's all about.

"Everyone wants to go again and hopefully we can make it an annual thing. We worked really hard with our 24-hour boxathon and that raised about £2,500. But we would need someone to step up and provide sponsorship if we were to do it again."

Mr Corrigan said the trip had helped to unite the young members of the Fane Drive club.

He added: "In terms of team bonding it was brilliant. We had a couple of young lads with us, and one of them was really quite shy.

"But by the second day he'd come completely out of his shell — it was brilliant."