THREE young kickboxers from a north Durham club have won international titles in front of sell-out home crowd.

The teenage fighters, who train in Burnopfield, lifted British, European and world belts at the Civic Hall in Stanley.

Zach Glenndining, 16, of Lanchester, became the first North-East Kickboxing Academy fighter to lift a world title after beating French 16-year-old fighter Anthony Duchene on a split decision.

Luca Bloomfield, 14, from Ushaw Moor, won by knocking out French 13-year-old champion Brian Duchene in the first minute of the first round to claim the IKF European title.

Ailsa French, 15, of Annfield Plain, won the IKF British title by unanimous decision against Sunderland’s Shannon Tai, 17, on earlier this month.

NEKA coach and former world champion Wes Fagan said: “I am so proud of all the NEKA fighters and Zach has made club history in becoming our first world champion.

“The fight itself was one of the best kickboxing displays I’ve ever seen.

“It had people in attendance on the edge of their seats, but I knew Zach had done enough as he kicked and punched a lot more than Anthony and that was the winning factor for the judges.”

NEKA was set up almost seven years ago and is based at Burnopfield Community Centre.