A schoolgirl is hoping to be crowned a world champion kick-boxer once again.

Pint-sized pugilist Shannon Priestley, 10, from Ramsbottom, will travel to Karlsruhe in Germany this summer to take part in the amateur World Kickboxing Championships.

It is the fourth year running the youngster has represented the country in the contest.

Last year she beat young competitors from all over the globe to bring home a gold for "points" and silver in the "continuous" in the under-25 kilo category.

Proud dad Sean, who will travel to Germany with Shannon as he has to Spain, Canada and Switzerland in previous years, said: "She just keeps going from strength to strength.

"Earlier this year she won two golds in the national contest - beating four boys hands down - making her a double UK champ. It all depends on how she performs on the day, of course, but there's no reason why she should do as well if not better in Karlsruhe as she did in Spain last year."

Sean, from Fern Street, said: "The important thing is that she still really enjoys it. She's naturally very sporty. As well as kickboxing, she does ballet at weekends and plays handball and netball at school."

Shannon, a pupil at St Joseph's RC Primary in Ramsbottom, will be part of a team from Alf's Blackbelt Academy in Stacksteads - where she has been a member since she began kickboxing aged only seven - which travel to Germany.

She and her family - Sean, mum Michelle, sister Natasha, 17, and five-year-old brother Liam - are now raising the money to pay for the nine-day trip in August.

Local pub The Good Samaritan in Peel Brow will be supporting them as it has done every year.

Landlord Roger Howarth said: "It's not cheap to travel to where the competitions are held, so I have a collection at the bar for her. It all helps."