Northern Ireland First Minister, Peter Robinson, is used to the polished surrounds of his Stormont office but last night he was walking through the proverbial sawdust at a famous old kickboxing gym in his east Belfast constituency.
Mr Robinson was on hand to present four young kickboxing students with their coveted Black Belts at the Prokick Gym.

The gym's tin-hut building, once used by the Army during World War II as a camp on Tyrella Beach in Co Down, is where youngsters Saskia Connolly (11) from Carrickfergus, Belfast's Leith Braiden (13) and Kyle Morrison (12), and Bangor's Jamie Phillips (12), recently achieved their Black Belt status after several years of dedication to the martial art.

The First Minister said: “The Prokick Gym is well-known throughout Northern Ireland and the rest of the world for its achievements in kickboxing, and none more so than Billy Murray, its founder and four-time world champion.

“Prokick Gym is celebrating its 20th anniversary, and it is testament to Billy Murray’s dedication, coaching and love for his sport that, after opening the doors two decades ago, the club is producing new talent to this day.”

He added: “Saskia, Leith, Kyle and Jamie have achieved a great honour – we all know that the Black Belt in martial arts is special. They should be proud, as I’m sure their parents, family and their coach is proud of them.”

Former four-time world champ, Billy Murray, said: “To have our First Minister, Peter Robinson, visit and make this presentation to our fabulous four young Black Belt students, is a proud moment in the history of Prokick Gym, and in the sport of kickboxing. It is a tremendous boost for us all and one the children will never forget.”

The First Minister later extended an invitation to members of the Prokick Gym to visit his office in Stormont.