AN eight-year-old from York has qualified to compete in her sport’s world championship on the international stage.

Tillie Bancroft will take part in the World Karate & Kickboxing Commission (WKC) World Championships in Albufeira, Portugal, from October 26 to November 1.

‘Tillie the Terminator’ – a name penned by her teachers at X Martial Arts School in Acomb, according to her dad Richard - started out at the age of four on the mats at the Folk Hall in New Earswick.York Press: Tillie began her training as a four-year-oldTillie began her training as a four-year-old (Image: Richard Bancroft)

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Richard said: “She was nervous at first but learned the techniques and gained experience.”

The young athlete has won bouts across the city and qualified to represent WKC England this autumn in the Algarve via the nationals at North Notts Community Arena in Worksop.

Success has also come to the eight-year-old in the WKKC IPPON Challenge at Doncaster Dome.

York Press: Tillie has qualified for the WKC world championshipsTillie has qualified for the WKC world championships (Image: Richard Bancroft)

Moving up through the internationally recognised training programme and gaining different coloured belts at each stage, the spoils from Tillie’s progression through the ranks are kept in a drawer at home along with trophies which take pride of place near her gaming table.

Tillie has been invited to test for her black belt in December of this year.

She said her three-year-old brother Reuben sometimes comes into her room when she’s training to lend a hand.York Press: Three-year-old Reuben is a big fan of sister TillieThree-year-old Reuben is a big fan of sister Tillie (Image: Richard Bancroft)

Trophies and medals have been taken into St Lawrence’s CE Primary School, where Richard said Tillie’s friends also pay close attention to the Instagram account he created and manages which charts her progress.

Tillie hopes to follow in the footsteps of her hero Lauren Greenwood – a multiple world champion and fellow athlete at the Acomb gym run by X Martial Arts School.

Richard Bancroft has set up a Go Fund Me page to support funding which will ensure daughter Tillie’s participation at the WKC World Championships later this year, at https://gofund.me/268e02db.