A young taekwondo champion from Bradley Stoke is hoping to earn a place in the UK squad for the World Championships.

Billy Smith, 13, has been a member of Stoke Gifford Taekwondo Club since he was five. He is now an assistant coach at the club on Rock Lane, helping train fighters of all ages.

Billy gained his black belt two years ago, won a gold medal at the European Championships last year and hopes next year to go to the World Championships in South Korea.

He is in training up to six days a week for the UK trials in February. Only three juniors can head to the World Championships in each discipline, so Billy knows he has to work hard.

"One thing I know that I have to do is get my fitness up," the Ridings High School pupil said. "That's the thing I need to work on the most. And I need to work on my flexibility too, I definitely can't do the splits yet."

Billy's speciality is the jumping high kick. At demonstrations in schools that he goes to with fellow Stoke Gifford coaches Kerry Burridge and Bradley May, he draws gasps when he breaks a piece of wood held about 10ft in the air.

At the UK trials, Billy will be hoping to be picked for the national team in four different disciplines –pattern, fighting against an imaginary opponent; sparring, fighting against an opponent semi-contact; breaking, punching and kicking blocks of wood up to five inches thick; and special techniques, where Billy can show off his jumping high kick. Billy added: "I like coaching. It's nice to see someone succeed. I like to see them do well at something I have taught them."