KAREN Collins is a mother, playgroup assistant, business partner and the new national American Kenpo champion.

The 30-year-old martial arts fan from Iddesleigh beat a competitor one and a half grades higher than her at the national championships in St Luke's College, Exeter, to qualify for the final which she won on a 'nerve-racking' sudden death.

Karen has brought the first national championship trophy home to her karate club in Okehampton.

Her instructor Mark Gibson who runs the Kempo Ryu Karate and Kick Boxing club said he was delighted.

'Karen is committed and enthusiastic and she has done really well to get to this level. It is excellent for her and the club.'

The mother-of-two, who has been a member of the club for five years and is a 'first brown', said she was 'really chuffed' by her win.

'This is the first time I have won anything and to win something like this is really hard,' she said.

'If you have good fitness on the day and if you are switched on you can do well. To beat the black belt was a hard experience but the final was difficult as well.

'Although the finalist was a green belt and a lower level than me it was more mental pressure than physical because I knew people would expect me to beat her.

'It's a horrible feeling — you are all geared up and then your legs turn to jelly, but once I got into it I was fine.'

Karen is encouraging other women to take part in the martial art which she says keeps you fit and is a form of self defence.

Next month she takes her black belt exam and if successful she will become the first female black belt in the club. She also aims to take part in more competitions in the future. Following along in her footsteps is her 11-year-old son Jamie-Ross, who has been a member of the karate club for three years.

Mark Gibson said the six-year-old club was going from strength to strength and juniors Ricky Moore and Lee Coleman had recently joined only 10 or 12 children in the county who had achieved junior blackbelt status.

Anyone interested in finding out more about the club can phone Mr Gibson on 01837 55448.