WESTBROOK karate student Laura Harding will have an eye on an England call-up when she joins up with the northern regional squad this month.

Laura, who is a member of Cheshire Martial Arts, will be the only Warrington representative to link up with the northern under 15s squad at a gathering at Loughborough University on October 16 and 17 that will also be attended by the country's other two regional squads.

But it is a place in the full England set-up that is the 15-year-old's target, and her performance at the Prague Open will have done her no harm.

The Penketh High School pupil won a silver medal in kata, which involves patterned movements, and a bronze in the more combative kumite while representing the northern squad in the Czech Republic event.

Coach Paul Graham thinks she has a bright future ahead of her.

He said: "She's showing good potential and is moving through the ranks.

"She won the English Championships last year and has gone from strength to strength.

"Her goal is to reach the full England squad, which she is not eligible for until she reaches 16.

"Her achievements in Prague were very important because winning international medals will be good for her rsum when it comes round to selection for the England squad."

As well as the English Championships win, Laura won a gold medal in kata at the British Youth Championships in June, as well as gold in kata at the British Open and gold in kumite at the British International Open and the Venice Cup.

She will return to the Italian city to represent the northern squad again in December, although her next big competition comes on Sunday when she takes part in the Shukokai Karate Union British Open Championships in Sheffield.

Laura would have been joined in the northern squad at Loughborough by Hannah Laidlaw, but the promising student is currently out of action with a broken foot.