IN the blue corner is three-year-old Evie Meadows — and in the red corner it’s four-year-old Grace Costello.

The two girls have been giving the boys a run for their money as they get to grips with the macho sport of wrestling.

Evie is the youngest member of Bolton Olympic Wrestling Club and just a few months older than her sparring partner Grace. Evie’s father, Lee Meadows, a coach at the club, said he was delighted that the sport was appealing to both boys and girls in the Bolton area.

The 34-year-old said: “It’s very encouraging to see young girls like Evie and Grace getting involved at our club.

“Evie normally joins in for about half an hour and she does really well.

“She’s a tough little girl and she always listens well to instructions.”

Eagley Infant School pupil Grace recently won the ‘Little Lilly’ wrestler of the week award.

Her love of sporting activities runs in the family.

Her two older brothers, Tommy and Jack, are also wrestlers at the club, while her mum, Rachel Costello, is a PE teacher at Turton High School.

Mrs Costello, aged 38, of Turton Heights, Bromley Cross, said: “Grace is a tough little nut and she is really competitive.

“She doesn’t like to lose. Wrestling has really helped her strength of character and has made her more mature, as she has to take complex instructions on board.

“I’m really proud of her. She just takes it all in her stride and hopefully she will take it up competitively because if she does I know she’ll do well.”

The club has about 30 other boys and girls, aged four to six, as members.

Mr Meadows said: “Grace is an absolute blinder. She’s very talented and we have high hopes for her at the club.

“Wrestling is something she could do for a long, long time.”