THE North West Karate Academy sent a small squad to the Northern Open Classic Karate Championships at Leigh Sports Village.

Samantha Anderton, aged 13, won gold in the girls’ 13 to 15 years open weight kumite (fighting) and she also claimed bronze in the girls’ 13 to 15 years kata (patterned moves).

Teammate Becky Mclorie also enjoyed success in the 13 to 15 years kata, winning silver.

Zach Scott took silver in the boys’ 13 to 15 years open weight kumite and also took bronze in the boys’ 13 to 15 years kata.

Along with teammates Natalie Charlton and Nicole Halsall, Zach has been invited to take part in the England team’s preparation trials for the 2009 Junior World Championships in Morocco.

Luke Scott took silver in the men’s open weight kumite, followed by another silver in the team kumite with fellow competitors Alex Hodge and Paul Charlton, who also claimed bronze in the men’s kata.

Other kata winners were Daniel Prior, who took bronze in the mixed 10 to 12 years group, and the boys’ team of Ben Osborne, James Oxley and John Charlton.