A Bury martial arts academy championing neurodiverse fighters has gained a place in a world championship competition.

Novas Martial Arts Academy will be taking a group of six fighters, aged between eight and 21 to Portugal in October for the WKC World Championships after they qualified in a national competition.

Novas Martial Arts was set up eight years ago by fighting enthusiasts and husband and wife team Lewis and Jamie Clark, who live in Bolton.

The academy, based on Peter Street in Bury, has been competing in self-defence and kickboxing for about five years and has taken students to competitions across the UK and Europe.

Novas Martial Arts Academy will take a team of six to the world championships later this yearNovas Martial Arts Academy will take a team of six to the world championships later this year (Image: Lewis Clark)

Head coach Lewis, 38, said: “We are predominantly self-defence but we do have a small number of students who compete in kickboxing.

“As a team, we’ve been competing for about five years, and this will be the third world championship we’ve attended as a club.

“On the second time we went, everyone placed bar one person and we even brought home a world champion.”

The Academy was established eight years ago, and has been competing for five yearsThe Academy was established eight years ago, and has been competing for five years (Image: Lewis Clark)

Lewis says the main focus of the group is to help children to improve confidence and focus and he aims to provide an especially welcoming space for neurodiverse children.

Lewis’ son Leo, 12 and his daughter Lexie, 16 both have autism and will be competing at the world championships this autumn. He says Leo will also be the first child with autism to represent England in the Para division in Kata, a Japanese martial art.

He added: “My main focus is helping children gain confidence and get fit and letting them know that martial arts are for everyone.

Head coach Lewis says the team is open and accessible to allHead coach Lewis says the team is open and accessible to all (Image: Lewis Clark)

“We aspire to be assessable for all. My children are autistic and we have a lot of children who come through our door who are neurodiverse.

"We pride ourselves in making them welcome and when it comes to martial arts they really thrive.”

The Nova Martial Arts Academy team will include Leo and Lexie Clarke, as well as Dylan Quinn, 21, Jamian Brannigan 12, Tommy Guest 11- and 8-year-old Emily.