JU-JITSU champion Chris Jenkinson is desperate to defend his gold medal in South Africa in November -- but needs a helping hand.

The 19-year-old is preparing for the biggest trip of his life in one of the top Ju-Jitsu competitions, the United Nations Championships.

Chris, from Accrington, won the competition in 2000 on his home soil in Brighton but needs £3,000 to be able to try and recapture his crown in five months time.

"I really want to be able to defend my title. It would mean such a lot," said Chris, who is currently at Blackburn College studying Public Services and hopes to join the police.

"I have financed myself in competitions in Spain and Germany but this is a lot more expensive.

"I also want to go there and help the English team."

The English team will consist of around 95 competitors who will battle it out with teams from the likes of Spain and Germany in a number of events.

Chris, who trained at Accrington Ju-Jitsu Club from the age of nine before moving into the Master Class at Hyndburn Sports Centre when he became a First Dan, is hoping to go for gold on three fronts.

Individually, Chris -- who is now a Second Dan -- will take part in 'random attacks' where he is judged on his defensive technique and marked out of ten.

He will go into the weight category of between 10 and 13 stone -- Chris is about 10-and-a-half stone -- but says it won't be a problem.

"If my event was 'ground fighting' I think I would struggle against heavier opponents but I don't bother with that. I never seem to win!

"But in 'random attacks' weight doesn't really matter.

"The aim is to field attacks from a silent partner on my team.

"There will be another pair, my opponent and his partner, doing the same and I will be judged on my reactions, how quickly I defend the punches and my streetworthiness."

Then Chris will compete with his brother, 22-year-old John, in the pairs.

The two won the British championship in 1998 -- the last time it was held -- and the United Nations Gold in Spain in the same year.

They will put on a demonstration and will be marked out of ten.

Then, Chris will compete in the team event where again they have to impress the judges with a demonstration.

At the moment, Chris can only hope that he will get a chance to go for a golden treble.

He works at Asda in Accrington part-time and they are having a fund-raising day for him tomorrow between 10am-2pm.

There Chris will be putting on demonstrations and also Asda are having various stalls and events in a bid to raise some of the money for him.

But, anyone else who would like to help Chris can contact him on 01254 388260.