KAREN Davison's skates just keep on rolling ...

Since she first wore a pair of roller skates at the age of five, she has been hooked and is now on course for a successful career.

The 21-year-old is a BSc (Hons) sports science student at Teesside university has been British roller skating champion for 12 years.

She won her first beginner's title at the age of seven and later contests placed her third and fifth in the world.

Her next challenge is the British competition in July, followed by the European, which will be held in Sicily.

"My older sister Anne used to skate and I didn't like the look of it, but once I tried on the boots I was keen," said Karen, who lives in Marton.

"I get such a sense of personal achievement out of skating and I would love to make a career out of it. The sport has enabled me to travel all over the world."

For the 1999 world championships she went to Australia's Gold Coast and came 16th out of 40. "It was amazing," she said.

She trains for ten hours a week and combines this with her studies and youth work in Middlesbrough.