'We've been training eight years for this dream'

The pair are due to fly to Japan on Friday

A mother who is preparing to compete together with her daughter for the first time at an international karate competition in Japan has described it as a "dream come true" for them both,

Bianca and Cyra Webb have been training at Kazokudai dojo in Blaby for several years in the hope of one day making it to the Japan Karate Association (JKA) World Championships.

The pair were selected to compete for England in 2020 before the competition was cancelled due to the Covid-19 pandemic.

But their dream will finally be realised when they fly to this year's event later this month.

Bianca said she was proud to be passing on the torch to her daughter

Bianca, 42, is chief instructor at the dojo, which she set up in 2021.

Her 17-year-old daughter is assistant instructor there, and provides karate lessons for children in the community.

Cyra will compete in the cadet girls category of the event in Takasaki on 25 October, while Bianca will take part in the veterans competition the following day.

They hope their involvement will inspire more young girls to take up the sport.

Cyra earned her black belt in karate when she was 12

"Going with my daughter has been a dream come true," Bianca told the BBC.

"It's going to be my last international and it's going to be her first big international.

"Because we are under-represented in this sport, to be able to inspire the younger girls coming through, is absolutely incredible."

Bianca said she often gets feedback from mums, who say Cyra is like a hero to the children she teaches.

"Cyra is a huge, huge inspiration. Not just to the young girls but to myself as well," she said.

The pair will fly out to Japan on Friday and spend some time in the country before the competition kicks off.