Leanne Moody has become a junior karate world champion.The 15-year-old Wheatley Ryobu-Kai club member won the title at the world championships in Tokyo in the kumite discipline and also struck bronze in the team kata category.

Leanne MoodyBut she wasn't the only success with all five juniors in the 12-strong Wheatley team winning medals.

Christopher Schurch (17) won a silver medal in the kumite event, while Kevin Gedge (17), Daniel Hunt (16) team kata.

In the seniors, Sally Howard took the bronze in the kumite, while there quarter-final losses for Tom Kirkpatrick, Tim O'Connor, David Graham, David Brassington, Glyn Jones and Wheatley's chief instructor, Roland Read, who also refereed and judged at the championships.

Ryobu-kai is a traditional form of non-contact karate, where points are scored through touch. More than 30 countries sent competitors to Japan.

Wheatley's team financed the trip from their own pockets and some sponsorship.

Read said: "I was delighted by our success. Leanne beat the girl who has been champion for the last two years.

"From the dedication the members showed, I knew in my own mind we wouldn't come back empty-handed.

"We were training six nights a week. It paid off because the stamina from our people was absolutely brilliant. I am over the moon for them. We have been to regional finals but this is the biggest event we have been to so far."

Read, a fifth dan, and who is also the chief instructor for England Karate Ryobu-kai, has a wealth of experience in karate.

He has been practising the martial art in Oxford since 1979 when he came here from Lee-on-Solent in Hampshire.

For ten years he ran the Oxford University team, including doing battle in the Varsity matches.

The Wheatley club, which meets every Wednesday and Saturday at the Park Sports Centre (seniors and juniors), boasts an impressive membership of 100 and interest is increasing. The club also hosts a training night in Thame every Friday (6-8pm).

"We once had 200 members. When the Kung Fu programmes were on the TV there was an upsurge in interest.

"And now, thanks to Buffy (the Vampire Slayer) being on terrestial TV, it is becoming more popular again."