One of the country’s top taekwondo clubs started up a new club for under-12s in Ilkley yesterday.

Horizon Taekwondo Academy is ranked in the top ten taekwondo sparring clubs in the UK following the British National Championships.

Sessions will take place on Thursdays at Christchurch, The Grove, from 5.30pm to 7pm.

The club boasts a legion of young taekwondo talent, including Great Britain National Team members Jamie Simpson-Kidd, 11, from Silsden, Ellie Bowden, 13, from Cullingworth, and Karl Harris, 12 from Cottingley.

The club will be teaching the martial art of taekwondo, which is a Korean martial art of self-defence, and an Olympic sport.

Taekwondo involves hand and foot techniques.

The club is open to anyone of any gender, age and ability, and aims to improve participants’ fitness, flexibility, confidence and self esteem, as well as teaching them self defence.

The club is coached by club partners Rick Simpson, a black belt 4th Dan and international referee, and Natalie Kidd, a black belt 1st Dan and national class referee, who also run nine other clubs in the Bradford, Keighley and Harrogate area.

Horizon Taekwondo Academy is offering the first lesson free to new members.

For more information about the club, contact Rick Simpson on 07977 065357 or e-mail info@horizontaekwondo.co.uk