A PENSIONER from Bromsgrove, who has been coaching judo for 50 years, has just achieved his fifth dan black belt.

Dennis Roe, 76, of Aston Fields, began learning judo at the age of 17, and now spends his retirement teaching the martial art to children and adults at Rubery Social Club.

His proud wife Ann contacted the Advertiser to praise her husband on his achievements.

She said: "There's not a lot for youngsters to do sports-wise these days that doesn't cost very much, so this is good for them. Dennis teaches around 30 people, of all ages, girls and boys, every Wednesday. The children do competitions and Dennis takes them there, or their parents do if Dennis can't, so he's very involved."

Dennis's students pay £2.50 per session to learn judo, with all the money going towards renting the hall and buying new judo mats.

"I wanted to share my knowledge and skills and discipline with other people. Judo isn't all thumping and jumping about. It's about discipline and cleanness and tidiness and I think this benefits the children. Quite a few of the children I coach have problems and we feel this has relieved by the discipline in judo."

Still very active in the sport, Dennis was presented with his fifth dan black belt earlier this month, after passing the necessary exam.