STAND back - she's dangerous!

Ellie Senior has just been awarded her black belt in taekwondo at just seven years old.

The St Helen's Primary pupil took only two years to fight her way to the top after starting the martial art when she was five.

Mum Rachel Andrews, of West Street, Hoyland said Ellie excelled from the start. She said: “She took to it really well and moved up the belts very quickly. She can memorise new routines quickly which is a massive part of the grading. I have never known anybody get a black belt at her age so I am proud of her.”

Ellie practises two to three times a week at the Hosin Sul Taekwondo club on West Street, Hoyland.

She had to work through her white, yellow, green, blue and red belts before reaching the black. And each belt needs one tag before moving up a grade meaning she has taken nine exams in total.

But it is not just Ellie who has punched and kicked her way to the top grade. Sister Charlotte, 10, got her black belt in September then aged nine.

Rachel said she was pleased both girls had followed in her footsteps.

She said: “I have done taekwondo for about 15 years now so I took them once to have a go. Obviously I wanted them to carry on with it if they wanted to and they enjoyed it.

But try not to worry if you see Ellie in the street as her mum assures me she is not into fighting.

She said: “Ellie just likes to do her routines and spas at the club. She's not aggressive at all.”