MARTIAL arts coach Steve Lilley has reached a major milestone in his career having taught a student from beginner to the level of 1st Dan for the first time.

Andy Melville has been a student of the South West Kickboxing Academy for three and a half to four years and his dedication and hard work has seen him achieve the level of 1st Dan in any martial art.

It is thought that out of every 10,000 people who take up martial arts only ten get to 1st Dan. It is also a special achievement for the South West Kickboxing Academy club and head coach Steve Lilley. In the academy’s eight and a half year history, Andy is the first student who has not transferred in from another club to reach the level of first Dan.

Andy’s grading took place up at South West Kickboxing, where 2nd Dan Mike Rowling successfully passed his 3rd Dan in kickboxing in a joint session between the two martial arts clubs, which have a long history together between head coaches 4th Dan Steve Lilley and 3rd Dan Mike Rowling, going back to 2003 when Steve and Mike both trained as part of Kicksport UK.