A KARATE Sensei has vowed to take on thirty fighters in aid of St Luke’s Hospice after they nursed his mum in her final hours.

Sensei Ted Clare, 34, from Winsford, first began learning Karate when he was five years old, earning his black belt by the age of 12 before moving to Shaolin Kempo Karate in his later years.

Sensei Clare has vowed to take on 30 challengers from a variety of martial arts to raise money for St Luke’s Hospice, who cared for his mum, Patricia Clare, 62, who died from lung cancer in 2014.

“Last year was a bad year,” Sensei Clare, who teaches a number of self defence classes at the Tiger and Dragon Academy of Martial Arts, said.

“My mum was diagnosed with cancer and within a few weeks she really deteriorated. It wasn’t a great experience.

“When she was in the hospital, we wanted to transfer her to St Luke’s. They were absolutely brilliant. They offered her dignity. She passed away, and any event like that leaves you with scars.

“In the New Year I wanted a fresh start but I was still grieving for my mum. When you go through something like that it knocks you down and you can either stay down or get back up stronger.”

During the 30 man Kumite challenge, each fight will last two minutes, with contact sparring rules.

Each fighter must be on their stool at the end of the two minutes or they are out of the competition. If Sensei Clare is knocked out the competition will end.

If either fighter is submitted they will return to their feet to continue the fight.

But whatever the challenge, Sensei Clare believes he can conquer it.

Ted said: “I’ve got a couple of fighters from my own gym who are really hungry and they’ve got something to prove. That isn’t going to stop me from doing the job.

“My training has been exactly the same. We try to fight like this whether it is one man or thirty men, it makes no difference.

“By the end of it is going to be like a scene out of Rocky.”

The 30 man Kumite challenge will take place at the Tiger and Dragon Academy of Martial Arts on Sunday, March 1. To donate, click here justgiving.com/Mkka-MartialArts