IT IS best not to mess with this nine-year-old as she is the youngest black belt at a Taekwondo club.

Sarah Salmon, who trains at Twin Dragons in Gravesend, earned her first Dan grading in Southampton to join her sister Gemma and father Frank as martial arts experts.

Frank, an instructor at the club based at the Cascades Leisure Centre, Thong Lane, said: "Sarah has been training very hard every week for the past four years in WTF- style Taekwondo, a Korean martial art and now an Olympic sport.

"It was nerve racking for me as a parent and her instructor as she had to go before a panel of senior black belt examiners while I had to sit outside and hope all the hard work paid off."

Sarah is no stranger to hard work as at the age of five she fought in the Chungdokwan national championships taking second place for her age and weight.

She was also part of the team which helped the Twin Dragons win the Southern League Championships in 2003/04.

Sarah is already working on her next competition in November and has her mind set on her second Dan black belt in two years.

For more information on Twin Dragons Taekwondo, call Frank on 07815 003968.