TWO kickboxers from the North-East are taking on the best of the best.

Jamie Bates, 24, from Lanchester, County Durham, and Mick Terrill, 30, from South Shields are competing in the SuperKombat World Grand Prix.

The contest starts in Romania next month before moving to other venues around the world.

Mr Bates holds all world titles in K1 kickboxing and ranked the number one cruiserweight while Mr Terrill is the a heavyweight champion Thai fighter.

Grand Master Goff Bates, who runs the MASAC Gym in Annfield Plain, near Stanley, has trained his son, Jamie, since he was a small boy.

He said: “For Great Britain to have two fighters in this competition would be fantastic but to have two from the North-East is incredible.

“They are competing with the best on the planet and I am so proud to have seen this happen. It is brilliant.”