A 12-year-old girl has become one of the youngest people to achieve a black belt in a martial art form.
Hajra Kylychbekova, known as Fatin, from Ladybridge, has trained to a high level of martial arts and is now going to teach other young people.
She initially started her training in London with the Shaolin Dao Lu kung fu school, run by Shifu Mark Browne.
Mr Browne is a certified and affiliated member of world renowned Chinese ancient martial arts school Shaolin, which teaches kung fu to people across the globe.
Normally to gain each belt it takes a year.
There are four belts in each category and it would take four years of back to back training to achieve the highest rank of sash – the black belt.
Fatin bid for two belt exams at the same time in just a few months and qualified and claimed a couple of them successfully.
Fatin is already planning to set up a training camp to help improve other youngsters' martial arts skills.
Going from three days a week to a full seven, Fatin got the bug for the martial arts form and also learnt Sanda, a type of Chinese boxing, and qigong.
Hajra's dad Abdul Haroon said: “It’s widely known and vividly clear that the martial arts is not something that can be achieved easily unless otherwise the dedication is in place.
“Fatin admired the kung fu martial arts practice upon visiting the Shifu Mark Browne and she decided to enrol and start learning without wasting any time.”
Abdul praised his daughter on her hard work and commitment to the martial arts.
He said: “We are immensely proud of her and how she dedicated herself to the martial arts and kept her motivation high to achieve the hugest rank of belts.
“We are so delighted as parents and she is so grateful to everyone supporting her.
"It means a lot for her and in the future she wants to carry on practicing and learning all her life as it’s awesome knowledge and skills and keeps her fit, strong and confident."
Fatin wants to campaign for Shaolin Kung Fu to be part of the Olympics too.
The family also thanked "the living legend" Mr Browne who considered the request to give her training beyond the three classes of the week and for his kindness and support.
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