A 15-YEAR-OLD from Abingdon has become only the second junior from Oxfordshire to win a Brown Belt in judo.

Lee Colchester-Hall is coached by Jim Lambert at Appleton Village Hall, and now so proficient he can beat ex-European champion Gareth Turner, who was the first junior from the county to attain a Brown Belt.

"What he's done is quite an achievement," said his coach. "This is the highest he can go within the British Judo Association and I'm going to see if I can now push his name forward for bigger events."

Lee took up judo for eight years ago.

"He's a very exciting prospect. We believe he's got a tremendous future," said Lambert.

A WINTER Judo course organised by the Shunen Judo Company is being staged at John Mason School in Abingdon this weekend.

The special guest instructor is George Jack, 4th Dan. More details on 01235 555150 FIVE Oxford students at the Oxford School of Karate, have passed their Black Belts.

They acheived the feat after training and competing for over five years, collecting a haul of more than 150 medals and trophies.

Philip Patrick, 17, returned with a silver medal from the Czech Open, while Barry Battson, 15, won silvers at the National Championships in Birmingham and the World Junior Championships in Sweden.

"The boys all showed great courage on the day, especially during the half-hour non-stop fighting section, which completes the examination. We are very proud of them", said Rob King, chief Instructor for Oxfordshire.

Story date: Thursday 17 February

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