WEARDALE youngsters have gained a martial arts group's highest grading results in more than five years.

Students from the Wolsingham Kim Chung Do Taekwondo group were graded, with four of them receiving double promotions, meaning they skip a belt and are automatically promoted to the next.

Alex Hughes, 17, won the overall best of grade, beating Charlotte and Isobel Callard and James Lumsdon.

Double promoted were: Charlotte Callard, 12, of Frosterley; Isobel Callard, 13, of Frosterley; James Lumsdon, 17, of Wolsingam and Alex Hughes, 17, of Wolsingham.

Also promoted were Josh Kershaw, 13, of Tow Law; Hannah White, 9, of Tow Law; Catherine Stelling, 15, of Toft Hill; and Lauren Smith, 17, of West Auckland.

Instructor Katey Wallace said: "It is rare for anyone to be double promoted. Normally there are only one or two students in the whole grade to achieve this, so to get four in one club is absolutely outstanding.

"These youngsters are the future of the club and I am sure that if they continue to train with the same enthusiasm, they will become excellent martial artists and Kim Chung Do instructors one day. I have 100 per cent faith in both their physical and mental abilities."

Anyone interested in learning taekwondo in Weardale can call the club on 07901-650796.