Teen's kickboxing medals after mental health fight

Imogen used mental health services in Somerset to help her in school

A teenager from Yeovil has returned from an international kickboxing competition in Austria, where she won silver and bronze medals.

However, Imogen, 17, had previously found herself struggling at school, needing the support of local mental health services, and was referred to Somerset's Jigsaw Project.

The project helped Imogen through into college, and she now she says she is more resilient than ever.

Imogen said kickboxing started as "motivation" to get her out of the house, but developed into something much bigger.

"It turned into a competitive thing - I started at a big competition in Gloucester, it was the Europeans and I won a big trophy, and after that it was like... 'I wanna win these medals'."

Reflecting on her mental health battles, she said: "Everything was kind of a blur to me.

"I just wanted to stay in bed, I wasn't in a good space.

"Kickboxing also gave me that safe space to come and let it all off, to fight and be myself."

She also said she wants to help other people, explaining: "It's so important, because if you just keep everything inside, you end up just crashing and I've been there... people should have the opportunity to reach out more."

Sian Brandt and Becky Handiside both said Imogen had done them proud

Youth worker Becky Handyside said: "To hear that she's gone on to finish school, gone to be in the world championships in Vienna... it's just amazing. To see this person who didn't even want to go out, to now doing this, is amazing.

One of Imogen's former teachers, Sian Brant, said: "She has just come such a long way, and I will always be grateful for the journey that we experienced together, and how amazing and how much of an inspiration she actually is to me and others I've worked with."

Her kickboxing coach Joe Hallett added: "Imogen came to Infinity as a very shy young female. She was just in a shell and she wasn't confident in her ability, and over the years... she's kicking these guys' butts, and she's amazing."