A TEENAGE martial arts fighter has brought a national title back home to County Durham.

Laura Gibbon, 15, from Shildon, won her second girls under-16 title when she competed in the English Karate Championships, held in Birmingham.

She followed up her success by taking third place for a kata (prearranged sequence of movements).

She has trained since she was eight with the Zanshin Karate Club at Shildon's Sunnydale Leisure Centre.

Also a keen footballer, she plays for Sunnydale School, Durham County girls and Chester-le-Street ladies.