A PHYSICS teacher swapped her lab coat for a black belt and is now a world champion.

Julie McGavigan took gold in the World Karate Championships in Denmark.

Its an amazing achievement for the Eastwood High School teacher, who competed against fighters from across the world.

The 27-year-old said: "I was stunned and delighted to win gold at a world event. It's amazing.

"And it is great for Eastwood High to have a world champion gold medal winner. Everyone at the school is delighted."

She has been practising karate for 20 years and also teaches the martial art locally and in Glasgow.

Julie travelled to Denmark for a technical camp, where she trained with karate expert Yahara Sensei.

She then competed in the KWF World Championships Kumite (fighting karate) where she took the gold medal.

There are 19 members in the class she teaches at Eastwood High Sports Centre and all are pupils at the East Renfrewshire school.

The centre, built alongside the new Eastwood High in a £29million development, has a purpose-built studio that is ideal for martial arts

The school club is part of the Taka Kai Karate Association.

Now, following her triumph, numbers are set to swell at the Wednesday after-school club, with an increased amount of interest sparked in pupils right across Eastwood High.

Congratulations have been coming in thick and fast from teachers and pupils, with numerous requests to see her gold medal.

Colleagues in the science department also arranged a special presentation cake for her with a photo on it of her with her medal.

She said: "Teaching karate at Eastwood High has been fun and I really enjoy it - they are a great bunch.

"Maybe we will have a world champion in the making and another gold medal at Eastwood one day."

Julie is planning to contest her title when the world championships are next held in 2015, this time in Tokyo.