A pair of Tae Kwon Do students are preparing for one of the toughest challenges in martial arts - their black belt grading.

Emma Llewellyn, 24, and Fransisca Davies, 22, will travel to Bristol next April for the gruelling exam, which lasts several hours. They must demonstrate perfect technique, including patterns and sparring, in front of a panel consisting of eight examiners - all of whom are 7th degree black belts, and are among the most experienced Tae Kwon Do practitioners in the UK.

The pair have been training regularly at Dae Han School of Tae Kwon Do for almost 4 years.

"Emma and Fran have been training relentlessly in preparation for this grading," said their chief instructor, Mike Haines.

"There are still a few months to go before the grading, but the pressure is already growing. Their examiners will be the same individuals who pioneered Tae Kwon Do in the UK; the standard is extremely high. I have every faith the girls will pass with flying colours. They will do great."

On average only one in ten students ever makes it to black belt. The minimum training time required to achieve a black belt is three and a half years, which ensures all students are of the same high standard.

An update on how Emma and Fran performed will be posted after the grading.

Dae Han School of Tae Kwon Do is located in St. Wilfrid's Community Leisure Centre, and is a member of the Tae Kwon Do Association of Great Britain (TAGB). The TAGB is the largest and most professional single style organisation in Europe. If you are interested in joining the club, visit www.blackburntagb.co.uk or freephone 0800 056 5960.