A BAD lad turned good is set to compete for a European title in kickboxing — just a year after taking up the sport.

Blessed Trinity RC College student Andy Geoghegan, 15, said he was always getting into trouble at school after he mixed with the ‘wrong crowd’.

But last year he decided to turn his life around and was inspired by a TV show about martial arts.

Since he took up the sport, his school teachers say it has transformed his attitude and behaviour.

He joined Black Knights kickboxing and martial arts group in Burnley and after two hours of training five days a week he is now representing the UK in the 60kg weight category of the European Demonstration title in Poland on September 22. He will also compete in the European Champion tournament in Germany later this year.

Andy, from Brunshaw in Burnley, said: “I was pretty bad.

"I started to hang around with the wrong people in and out of school.

"I was getting into trouble every day. I wasn't nice. I wasn't going to stay on in school but the mixed martial arts has pulled it around for me.”

Assistant headteacher Andy Montrose said: “It has had a good effect in school. His behaviour has improved immeasurably and he is a better person for it.

"I hope it is a stimulus, a platform, that as resulted in us getting to see who the real Andrew is.”