A ROSSENDALE youngster has thumped the competition to be crowned European kickboxing champion -- only eight months after taking up the sport.

Sam Pollard, 10, from Rawtenstall, only took up the sport when he went along to a training session with friends.

But he beat off competition from across the continent to win the World United Martial Arts Federation (WUMA) European Championships.

And Sam's mother Amanda Pollard, 32, of Greenfield Road, said her son now had his sights set on becoming the best in the world.

She said: "His friends were going and they said, 'come along and see if you like it'.

"Since then he has never missed a class except for the weather last week.

"It is the first thing he has ever won and when he became European champion I was over the moon.

"He is very focused and he now wants to become world champion.

"I am so proud of him."

Sam, a member of Alf's Black Belt Academy in Stacksteads, won the under-125 centimetres category at the event last weekend in Worcester.

The Thorn County Primary School pupil recently gained sponsorship from Eastbrook, a Bacup-based organisation which helps children.

Sam trains for two hours, five times a week at the club based on the Toll Park Business Park.

The academy which offers freestyle martial arts -- a blend of kick boxing, ju jit-su and karate -- was also celebrating after a number of its other pupils scooped a host of medals including six golds and five silver medals.

It was formed 14 years ago as Stacksteads Freestyle before becoming Alf's Black Belt Academy 10 years later.

Today the club is run by British veteran champion and third dan Alf Love and has about 40 students on the books aged from five to 55 years old.