It's afar from a crying shame for the York Karate Academy.

Academy members took part in a special training course to raise awareness and money for the Cardiac Risk in the Young (CRY) programme, which researches into sudden death syndrome in young people as well as helping bereaved parents. 

Senior and junior students were asked to make a donation to the two-hour session which covered all three aspect of Shotokan karate, basics, forms and sparring.

A total of £320 was raised to take club efforts to almost £800 in the past year.  The next fund-raiser will be next month's club spring junior championship.

The Academy are also training for their next grading examination of Tuesday, March 24 when senior Japanese instructor and sixth Dan Yoshinobu Ohta will put Academy members and others from the York Kenshinkan Club through their paces. 

Both clubs will hold induction classes after the grading examination. 

Said Tate: "Paul and I have been travelling to London to train with Sensei Ohta for the last three months. 

Both clubs will hold induction classes after the grading examination. 

Anyone interested in joining the respective clubs can phone Mendham on 07930 853 555 or Tate on 07946 472 805.