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Elle-May and Alfie Norman show off their skills

These three-year-old twins have kicking down to a fine art - becoming the youngest in their karate class to gain red belts.

Alfie and Elle-May Norman have been attending karate lessons since January and their practice has paid off.

On Sunday both brother and sister were the youngest in the class to pass the red belt, their first exam, in the martial art.

Alfie and Elle-May, of Founthill Avenue, Saltdean, are following in the footsteps of their older sister Tia, eight, who has just achieved her second green belt after two years at the Sama Karate Organisation, which holds classes at the Meridian Centre in Peacehaven.

Their father Damian Norman, a taxi driver, has also taken up kickboxing.

He said: "They saw their sister doing it and they have always been pretty keen to copy her.

"It's definitely helped them, not that they were a problem beforehand but it has instilled something in them.

"Their instructor does not have any messing about in the class and when it's time to sit down and be serious he's very strict. They are told in their lessons they are only to do karate in classes and not on each other at home."

Instructor Scott Gibson also started karate when he was three and had his black belt by the time he was ten.

He said the martial art is good for discipline and concentration and he is impressed at how the twins, who attend classes twice a week, have taken to it.

He said: "At the start you can kind of tell if they are going to be good straight away. They came in and got the kicks and the punches correct, which is particularly impressive at that age."

The twins were the youngest to take the red belt grading at Coldean Primary School, Brighton, on Sunday.

Mr Norman, 34, said: "The parents are not allowed to watch while they are taking their grading.

"We went along, their names were called out and they had to go down into the hall. They came out with big grins on their faces, clutching their certificates."

10:51pm Wednesday 14th May 2008

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