Two ladies made it through a gruelling four and a half hour examination to achieve their third degree black belts in Taekwon-do.

Corinne Neale and Dawn Murat, of Wisbech, have trained for 11 years at The Carter School of Taekwon-Do at the town’s Hudson Leisure Centre.

Tony Carter, a sixth Dan international instructor and examiner, said: “This is a fantastic achievement. To achieve their third degree black belts at the Carter school usually takes 10 to 15 years of dedication and hard work. These students have worked very hard indeed.

“It is true to say that with other martial arts, and even other Taekwon-do schools, students can become black belts much quicker, but I believe that if you are going to do a job you should take pride and pleasure in being the best that you can be and my students appreciate working hard to achieve each grade.

“I won’t say how old Corinne and Dawn are, but they have matured with Taekwon-do into fit, well rounded and perfectly capable people who enjoy the self discipline, fitness and self defence that Taekwon-do gives them.”

Classes are run at the Hudson Sports Centre on Monday, Wednesday and Friday evenings between 6pm and 7pm.

The first lesson is free and people can just turn up. For more information call 01366 387601 or 07768 634332.