Boards for the chop as karate man helps hospice

11:32am Wednesday 25th July 2007

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IT was definitely a case of mind over matter when Bolton karate instructor Andrew Allwood faced his greatest challenge since taking up the sport in his teens.

Andrew, aged 43, from Bromley Cross, split 30 one-inch-thick wooden boards in just 57 seconds at Edgworth Primary School, where he takes karate classes.

He used his fists, palms and elbows to split the 10-inch square blocks, which were held down by assistant instructor Martyn Skipper and students Ian Marsden and Mike Pritchard.

Mr Allwood had used plastic clipboards to practise on- and had not split a wooden board before beginning his challenge.

"I never expected to chop all 30 boards," he said. "I would have been pleased with 20. I had swollen hands afterwards and felt sore."

Mr Allwood, who started karate when he was 19, took on the challenge to raise money for Derian House children's hospice in Chorley, a charity supported by the Edgworth school. He hopes to raise more than £400.