Gatwick kickboxing club are celebrating after Vicki Radford returned with a world title from their trip to Malta.

Radford, the British ladies champion, was part of a four-strong team from the Sussex club who joined the England team taking on the Maltese.

And Radford's success at the American semi-contact sport has fuelled her ambitions to turn professional in the future.

The 24-year-old from Crawley was Gatwick's last fighter on the bill at the arena in St Georges Bay and she outclassed Leanno Carabo in all five rounds to win the vacant middleweight world title by a unanimous decision.

She said: "Of course I would love to turn professional but within kickboxing there are too many organisations who run events and until the number decreases to something more like boxing it will be too difficult to co-ordinate fights.

"I am delighted to have won. It was the culmination of a lot of hard work. We started training for the event before Christmas and we thought it would be scorching hot so we wore jumpers to get used to the heat.

"When we got there the conditions were more like back here, but that suited me.

"There was a lot of pressure on me and it was one of the biggest shows I have done. The place was crammed with spectators, all of whom supported the Maltese and made a lot of noise."

A hostile crowd of 1000 people watched the action featuring the Sussex quartet and although the visiting England side may have lost to their hosts, the team performed courageously.

The Gatwick club's Crawley-based senior instructor, Greig Bradbury, was edged out by the home favourite Demis Sicula who was awarded the middleweight title by the referee after the judges were unable to separate the fighters.

Bradbury's colleagues at the club, Chris Bell from Crawley and Terry Scott from Lingfield, both lost to their respective opponents by one point.

Bradbury, a former full contact champion who used to hold two British titles, said: "It was fantastic. The success of the whole show pushed us up into the big time.

"Vicki is looking to turn professional and Chris and Terry can now be considered for a British title fight in their divisions, the novice and cruiserweight.

"We have already been asked out there for next year, all expenses paid, because they are looking for a re-match."

The club's next tournament is in Walton-on-Thames on April 21 and if anybody is interested in the sport or joining the club they should call Greig Bradbury on 07789 761152.