KARATE squads from up to 20 countries battled it out in the European Shotakan Karate Championships at the weekend.

The event, at the Crowtree Leisure Centre, in Sunderland, attracted competitors from as far away as the Ukraine.

On Saturday, 55 juniors fought for a variety of titles, with Poland sweeping the board by taking three first places, while England took three fourth places.

Last night, 87 seniors took to the floor. This year's event was in honour of the sport's chief instructor, Keinosuke Enoeda, who died aged 66 this year.

Mr Enoeda, who lived in the UK since 1966, was responsible for introducing and fostering Shotakan Karate in the country.

The Enoeda Memorial Trophy was awarded to the most outstanding competitor, England's Matthew Price, by his widow, Reiko.

It was the fifth international event organised by the Karate Union of Great Britain (KUGB) to be held at Crowtree.

The KUGB has had strong links with the North-East since its launch in the 1960s.

This year, John James Bruce, a karate instructor at Crowtree, returned from the World Championships in Zurich with a gold medal.