Bury TAGB celebrated success with two of their members winning gold medals at the English Championships in Coventry.

The taekwondo club, based in Rawtenstall and Helmshore, attended the huge event along with more than 1,000 competitors from across the country. Club owner Claire Searle, along with students Andy, Mia and Ellie Wilson, Joe McWilliam, Oscar Loftus, Tom Gallagher, Caitlin and Callum Johnson, and Alex Rigby, made the trip to compete in the Midlands.

A lot of the young fighters competed in higher divisions, but it was McWilliam and Loftus who were the stars of the show, winning gold in the boys’ yellow belt and the boys’ red belt division respectively.

Not only did Loftus win the medal, he did not give away any points in his fights and is considered a rising star at the club.

Already in possession of a black belt in karate, the 12-year-old is preparing to go for the same belt in taekwondo in the next six months.

Although Searle did not win in Coventry, in her first tournament back since a broken arm injury was coupled with her wedding and the birth of her baby, she was victorious two weeks later.

The TAGB England Team travelled to Davos in Switzerland and Searle won gold in the final, beating her Russian opponent to become European Champion. Club duty is now back on Searle’s mind, with the Bury team training hard in preparation for the Welsh Championships, where they hope to add to their medal haul.