FEMALE students at a martial arts academy are supporting a campaign aimed at inspiring women and girls to embrace an active lifestyle.

This Girl Can encourages girls to get involved in exercise through a series of highly-publicised advertisements showing women taking part in a variety of physical activities.

James Cockill and Luke Randell, teachers at Evolution martial arts academy, in Darlington, aim to increase the self-confidence of their female pupils by helping them to realise their own physical capabilities and build their strength and skill.

Girls aged between four and 14 take part in rigorous training sessions which involve cardio-vascular exercises, sparring and practising locks, kicks and strikes to help combat feelings of vulnerability that inhibit the lives of many youngsters.

Older girls are invited to demonstrate their moves to less experienced students to help them improve their skills.

Mr Cockill, who has been studying martial arts for more than 28 years, said: “We talk to the girls a lot about their real life experiences and how they feel walking around alone at night.

"Self-defence is a big part of what we do, and we hope that they will be able to transfer those skills onto the streets.”

The teachers’ support for the campaign runs alongside their special long-term character education programme, which teaches children about stranger awareness, creating positive attitudes, and how to deal with bullies.