A HOST of Cheshire Martial Arts Centre students will compete in the United World Karate World Championships in Slovenia this week.

They have been selected for the United World Karate England squad, who will compete at the inaugural championships in Koper between Thursday, October 15 and Sunday, October 18.

Those included for the senior female kata and kumite are 19-year-old Jess Bate, third dan, and 20-year-old Rebecca Fisher, third dan.

First dan Rebecca Cameron, 17, will compete as a member of the UWK England junior squad in the World Cup section of the tournament.

John Cameron, second dan, will compete in the male veterans kumite category.

Paul Graham, eighth dan and chief instructor of Cheshire Martial Arts Centres, has been selected as a coach, while Joanne Fisher will represent the SKA Association as a world referee.

The historic and prestigious competition is being held as a major part of the bid to bring sport of karate into the Olympic Games in 2020.

The 80-man squad has been selected from Associations across England that have been unified by the new world governing body.

The squad left for Slovenia on Tuesday.

Cheshire Martial Arts Centres can be contacted on 07831 418631.

The dojo is open seven days a week for traditional and sport karate classes.