A ROSSENDALE judo instructor is celebrating today after being named a national coach for the Commonwealth Games.

Former miner Brian Moore, from Bacup Judo Club, will train the England women's team which is due to compete in the judo events to be held at Manchester's G-Mex Centre on July 29 and 30.

The 55-year-old entered the sport by chance after it was introduced as an extra-curricular activity for miners based at Hapton Colliery.

He said: "A judo club was started at the miners' social club and when the pits closed the miners wanted to carry on with it. The union paid for the course and asked Bacup Club to come and teach them. I have been involved in the sport for the past 32 years."

In that time Brian has notched up a six-dan black belt -- the equivalent of a black belt with six extra notches of ability.

He has never competed in the Olympics but has represented the North West in various contests and won the England championship twice as well as the England veterans competition in which he still competes.

"I'm hoping to go to the veteran championships next year in Northern Ireland," he added. As a coach at Bacup Brian has trained women and juniors -- boys and girls aged between eight and 16, for 15 years and produced some top rank competitors including 20-year-old Sophie Cox, who will compete at the Commonwealth Games.

He said: "She's doing so well and is going to the world championships in Japan. I think the team will win more medals for England in judo than any other sport."

Brian explained that to qualify for the squad, team members have to compete around Europe and only two people can be selected to represent each country in each weight category.

Sophie is in the 57 kilo category -- one of seven different categories for the men's and women's teams.