Black belt pensioner is fighting fit again

Bernard Taylor, nicknamed The Bull by his karate mates, is back to full health kicking, punching and karate chopping his way through the gym despite his former ailments which included prostate cancer.

He is by far the elder statesman at Colne Valley Black Belt Academy in his home town of Huddersfield, and loves it.

“It’s brilliant,” he said. “I had one hip done, then I had treatment for the prostate, then I had the other hip replaced.

“Now I’m back fighting, kicking and running around.

“I can still do everything – but the super power kicks maybe aren’t quite as hard and the flying kicks aren’t as high as they once were.

“Doctors have told me I need to take it easy but I just love teaching the kids. I’ve probably got 250 pupils.”

Married father-of-two Bernard puts his rapid recovery down to his karate and general fitness levels.

But more than that it’s his positive mental attitude that ensured any health problems never dragged him down.

“I was never worried once,” said Bernard. “I took it all in my stride and just got on with it.

“When I was diagnosed with prostate cancer I just said ‘right, what do we need to do?’

“Karate is about positive thinking and it instils discipline.”