THREE new kickboxing champions from martial arts club in the region have been crowned.

The North East Kickboxing Academy, based in Burnopfield, is celebrating its first wins and champions in nearly four years.

Fourteen-year-old Jake Kingshott and Jonny Campbell, 24, both from Consett, lifted WKO Northern Area Titles and Dipton’s Kane Blakeburn, 20, lifted the WKO British Title at Stanley Civic Centre recently.

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Jake outpointed Peter Gale from Hartlepool, Jonny stopped Sunderland’s Sean Kavannah in the first round with a head kick to lift the title and Kane outpointed 47-year-old old Alan Davis to lift the British title.

Former World Kickboxing Champion and coach Wes Fagan said: “It’s been very difficult for us as a club.

“From winning all over the country and training for competitions with fighters from all over the world to then doing no contests for over three years.

“It has been difficult for myself as a coach but also for the NEKA students. We are used to pushing ourselves against top level fighters and being in big competitions regularly then to nothing with the Covid restrictions.

“But things are starting to look normal again. I’m over the moon with all of our fighters.

“They were all fantastic they are all so dedicated to kickboxing and martial arts.”

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