International karate tournament returns to Dundee

The event is expected to attract more than 4,500 participants

A major international karate championship attracting more than 4,500 participants will be held in Dundee for the second time in five years.

The World Union of Karate-Do Federations (WUKF) World Karate Championships for All Ages will take place in the city next July.

The four-day event was last held in Dundee in 2018, selling out hotels in the city and surrounding areas.

It was estimated to have generated almost £10m for the local economy.

Next year's event will be held at Dundee Ice Arena between 13 and 16 July.

Previous hosts include Dublin, Bratislava, Cluj-Napoca in Romania and Fort Lauderdale, Florida.

More than 2,000 competitors took part in the 2018 event in Dundee

Roy O'Kane, chief officer of Dundee-based hosts Kanzen Karate, said he hoped the championships would surpass the previous event.

He said: "I think there's excitement building even today, looking forward to next year.

"The last time we had thousands of people coming for a whole week.

"There were teams from Africa training in the park, people going to cafes and bars, and friendships were made.

"There was a really good vibe and that's something we hope to have again."