A 13-YEAR-old student who took up karate last year has been rated fourth in the world.

TJ Parkinson, a year eight pupil at Birchwood High School, pulled out all the stops in his sporting competitions to reach the World Cup final.

He attends a karate club in Irlam and was up against competitors from across the world, including Canada, USA, Australia and the UK.

TJ, who lives in Cadishead, made it through to the final six in his age group, finishing in a well-deserved fourth place.

A spokesperson for Birchwood High School said: "We are very proud of you TJ, not only are you a lovely boy, your dedication and hard work is commendable, and we look forward to you achieving your World Cup final dream next time."