FIGHTING fit Phyllis Rowley never imagined she'd be packing a punch as a pensioner.

But at the grand age of 78-year-old, the retired wages clerk from Russells Hall has bagged a 1st dan black belt in karate.

Phyllis, who trains at the Richardson Hall in Wordsley, insists: "It's the best thing I've ever done and I absolutely love it.

"I attend three to four classes every week and it's got to the point where it has now become a way of life.

"Some of my friends still think I'm completely barmy to do karate, but others are amazed."

Her instructor Dan Eastman, of GKR Karate UK, said: "What Phyllis has achieved is truly remarkable.

"The grading is two-and-half hours long for a start and it's really incredible that she can remember and perform all the moves.

"Already Phyllis is becoming something of a mini celebrity. I've been involved in karate for 20 years and I've never seen anything quite like it.

"I speak with 30 to 40-year-olds who believe they are too old to take up karate. But the only limit is what you put upon yourself.

"Phyllis must have attended around 1,000 classes and completed 1,500 hours of training to achieve what she has done. "

Phyllis was drawn to martial arts by a chance call.

She said: "A nice gentleman knocked on the door and asked if I would be interested in learning self-defence.

"I attend a lot of meetings in my role as a volunteer and director with Dudley Federation of Council Tenants and Residents Association. Sometimes the car parks are quite a long way from the venues, so I thought a little bit of self-defence might come in handy and decided to give it a go."

She attended a newcomers' class at nearby Sutton School and recalled: "There was a gentleman there in my age group and two more slightly younger, so I didn't feel out of place.

"I was impressed by what they did - but I thought I would suffer for it the next day. Yet I had no aches or pains and decided to continue with it."

Phyllis then worked her way through yellow, orange, green, blue, red and brown belts, plus the various tags that go with them.

She then had to train for a year before obtaining her 1st dan black belt and it will take at least another two years before she'll reach the next level.

Yet widowed Phyllis has no plans to slow down: "I never expected it to go this far. But I feel much safer and have no problems going out at night on my own.

"I had no previous interest in sport, so all this has come completely out of the blue.

"People have this image that karate is something out of a Bruce Lee film, but it's nothing like that at all.

"There are no outlandish moves, it's just completely ordinary movement - done properly."