Julie celebrates gaining 6th Dan at Tae Kwon Do at the age of 62

Julie, (front centre), with members of her keep fit class

The Tae Kwon Do expert recently gained a coveted 6th Dan ranking in her chosen martial art.

Julie, from Ribchester, who teaches Tae Kwon Do and keep fit, said: “There are very few women in the country that have the 6th Dan. It’s quiet prestigious - because at 62 you are not doing too badly if you get the 6th Dan.”

To gain the award Julie attended a special examination in Nottingham and had to send a written thesis to Korea.

She said: “There were probably 70 people there taking all the different grades. My exam lasted about 50 minutes. I had to do break boards, self defence and what’s called a poomsae, which is a pattern.”

The Korean martial art demands speed of thought as well as of body.

She said: “It’s definitely mental as well as physical. There’s a lot of discipline in the art. We use the force of the other person against themselves. It’s not a strength thing. It’s about using their strength against themselves.”

She continued: “You don’t have to be fit, tall, slim - any ages can do it and it’s such a good sport for keeping fit. But it’s more than that. It does get into you head. The more you learn the more you want to learn.”

Julie is also celebrating the arrival last week of her first grandchild.