MARTIAL arts competitors from Warrington struck gold in this year's Matt Fiddes Martial Arts Northern Championships.

Nathan Heywood, who trains in Woolston, took first place in three categories at the annual event, held in Penrith, Cumbria, on Sunday, while Daniel Roach, a member of the Great Sankey Matt Fiddes school, was awarded two top places.

More than 200 people attended the event and with 42 medals secured it was a record medal haul for students of Master Steve James, who runs schools across the area.

“Every year we commit to winning as many medals as possible for the schools and this year we hit record numbers," he said.

"We as a team have worked so hard on developing the children to become the best they can be and it has paid off with amazing results.”

Gold medal winners were Nathan Heywood, Shauna Tilley, Emma Garth, Daniel Roach, Dylan Smart, Max Baguley, Annie Tilley, Becky Wright, Ethan Jardine and Bradley Debelle; silver medal winners – Shauna Tilley, Emma Garth, Daniel Roach, George Cain Morris, Luke Baguley, Anna Mai Larkin, Megan Banner, Bradley Debelle, Tom Harker, Amy Dobie, Keenan Lomax and Luv Goel; Louis James, Shauna Tilley, Ankita Raju, Emily Cain, Anna Mai Larkin, George Cain Morris, Dylan Smart x 2, Bradley Debelle, Ethan Jardine, Kush Goel, Luv Goel, Keenan Lomax, Caitlin Moore and Amy Dobie, with a special mention to Kyle Tilley, Miles Norton and Talia Tilley.