A NORTH YORKSHIRE karate expert saw his dream come true when he led Great Britain to glory in the home of the sport, writes Peter Martini.

Harrogate-based Matthew Price captained the team which secured the bronze medal at the World Karate Championships in Tokyo, Japan.

Britain faced stiff competition from 800 of the world's top teams representing 50 countries.

Price, 28, helped Britain to several memorable victories, including a defeat of European champions Sweden.

Britain were eventually beaten by Belgium in a close semi-final, leaving them to face Argentina in a bronze medal play-off.

Price, a 4th Dan black belt and chief instructor of Harrogate Shotokan Karate Club, also took fifth place in the men's individual fighting event.

He added six victories to the three wins he achieved in the team event to reach the quarter-finals. There he narrowly went down to his only defeat, in nine days of competition, losing to defending champion Toshihto Kokubun of Japan, who went on to win gold.

"As karate is not yet included in the Olympic Games this is our equivalent and to do so well at these championships in Japan, the home of karate, is like a dream come true," said Price, who works at Shopacheck Finance, Clifton Moor, York.

The event was good preparation for Price as he bids to improve on last year's third place at the European Championships which take place in Switzerland at the end of November.

He received a big boost by winning the British Grand Slam - the Karate Union of Great Britain squad championships - in Stourbridge, West Midlands, last weekend.