UNBEATEN Craig Richardson successfully defended his world kick boxing championship title at an international event in the North-East at the weekend.

The 16-year-old, of Lanchester, County Durham, stopped Russian challenger Ivan Silantiev in the fifth round to retain his WKA belt.

The Greencroft School pupil was cheered on by parents John and Lynne and brother Darren, 19, who were among the estimated 1,000 spectators inside Belle View Leisure Centre, Consett, on Saturday.

Craig said: "I'm happy to have won because he was a lot stronger than I thought he would be.

"He was 6ft 3in and looked skinny, but he surprised me with his first kick - he was a lot harder than he looked.

"It was a great atmosphere, all my friends and family were there, and I could hear them all cheering for me. We had a bit of a party afterwards.

"My feet are hurting, I hurt my nose and eye and I have a couple of stitches, but I'm all right."

Local fighter Billy Soul, 36, lost out in his bid for another world title when a points decision went the way of Italian Marco Costagutta.

But there was further success for the Masca gym, in Annfield Plain, where Craig and Billy train.

Dale Gibson, 13, took the Northern area title, while Gary Rimington, 13, Gavin Graham, 15, and Jamie Bates, 11, all won British titles.

Jamie's dad, 45-year-old Goff Bates, faces an anxious time after being £4,000 short of the £6,000 he needed to stage the event.

Goff, who trains kick boxers, including Craig Richardson, said: "I won't know if I have lost the £4,000 until we add up the ticket sales.

"On a personal note, the event has left me in finanical trouble. I feel it should have been given more support from local businesses.

"On a sporting level I had nine of my lads fighting and seven of them won.

"But it was a brilliant night and at one point I thought the roof was going to lift off the place."

Other North-East winners were Cameron Ludman, from Redcar, and Paul Lundrin