A WORCESTER 12-year-old’s hard work has paid off with a taekwon-do black belt.

Worcestershire Martial Arts’ Amy Pullen successfully achieved her first dan after training with the club since the age of six.

Club owner Sally Gleaves was also promoted to fifth dan black belt after 22 years in the sport.

The International Taekwon-Do Federation grading was held over a day in Cambridge under the watchful eye of two masters.

The belts were later presented by Worcester mayor Jabba Riaz.

Gleaves said: “It was pretty intense and we well and truly earned our grades through commitment and hard work.

“It was a very special grading for me. There aren’t many fifth dan ladies around and I’ve had setbacks with injury and a car accident.

“Amy is a very dedicated student and trained hard.

“She even has volunteered at our children’s classes and taught 10 hours of main classes in the months leading up to the grading in preparation.

“She was also required to submit two essays around the topic of taekwondo and why she felt she deserved her black belt.

“We both achieved our grades with well-above average marks too.”

The Shrub Hill Road club are accepting beginners in their kickboxing and taekwon-do classes with more details available at worcestershiremartialarts.co.uk.