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Tributes to 'legendary' Black Country karate sensei who taught around the world

Tributes have been paid to a "legendary" Black Country karate sensei who has died at the age of 70.

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Eddie Daniels in action

Eddie Daniels, from Upper Gornal, devoted 56 years of his life to karate and became a master instructor in the style of Shukokai.

Last month he died while at his holiday home in Turkey. He passed away peacefully in his sleep on January 25.

He was the highest-ranking Shukokai practitioner in Europe after achieving a ninth Dan black belt.

During his illustrious karate career, he fought for the All Styles British Squad between 1970 and 1975, helping to defeat the all-conquering Japanese team.

Alongside fighting, he also taught thousands of students across the world, and was holding international seminars as late as December.

Paying tribute, his son Audun, 39, from Upper Gornal, who is a sixth Dan black belt, said: "He was loved by so many people.

"He was a World Chief Instructor and made a massive impact on thousands of people's lives. He has got a legend status within karate.

"My father was an incredible man. He loved his family, as a father, and as grandfather to my daughter, Mia (aged 18). He adored his granddaughter."

Eddie Daniels with his granddaughter Mia

Karate was a way of life for Mr Daniels. His love and devotion to Shukokai - a particular style of karate - saw him rise to hold senior ranks within the martial arts form, both in the UK and on the international stage.

He was a World Chief Instructor of Kimura Shukokai International and chief instructor of the Shukokai Karate Federation in the UK.

He regularly trained at Portway Lifestyle Centre, Oldbury, and in the two months before his death, held seminars at three different countries. His death came as a shock.

"People always asked him 'when will you retire?' My father would say 'I will retire when I stop impressing people'," said Audun.

"He was impressing people to the day he died. He was a special person.

"His death shocked the world, if you could have seen the way he still moved, he was still very quick. He was at the European competitions in Portugal in October to watch me compete.

"He was in Germany and Canada in November holding seminars and in Finland in December holding a seminar."

Eddie Daniels

Audun added: "I won international gold in Kumite (fighting) and Kata (choreographed sequences) at the European tournament, and I'm so glad he got to see me win for the last time."

Karate has been a family affair for Mr Daniels, with his wife Solfrid, 56, achieving a seventh Dan black belt, where she became the most senior woman in Shukokai. She was also his rock throughout his life.

Mr Daniels was born in Gateshead, Newcastle, but moved down to Birmingham when he was aged four-years-old, alongside his mother, who was from Newcastle, and his father, who was from Ghana.

At the age of 15, Mr Daniels took up karate, but initially in the style of Wado-Ryu. He ran his own Wado-Ryu classes as a white belt before taking up another style called Shotokan.

In 1969 he made the switch to Shukokai. There he came under the tutelage of Master Kimura, who was among a cohort of Japanese instructors, who were experts in different karate styles, who travelled to the West in the 1960s to teach karate.

Mr Daniels trained under him until Master Kimura's death in 1995.

The speed and skill of Mr Daniels earned him a call up to the All Styles British Squad in the 1970s, where he and his teammates beat the previously undefeated Japanese squad in a fighting tournament.

Mr Daniels fought alongside David 'Ticky' Donovan OBE, the former long-running British and English karate coach.

Alongside international honours, Mr Daniels won numerous national championships. Audun recalled a tale his father told him where ran from hospital with a broken jaw to compete in a British championship final at Bell Vue, Manchester, against Mr Donovan.

"I think it was in 1976, my dad had got to the final but he broke his jaw," said Audun. "They took him to a hospital.

"I remember him running back to the final saying 'I'm here, I'm ready to fight'. But people were just leaving the stadium and he wasn't able to fight."

Mr Daniels stopped competing in tournaments during the 1980s but focused his energy on coaching, where he led many successful teams, including the feared Birmingham team, from Digbeth.

In 1980 he established the Shukokai Karate Federation in Worcester, which has since gone on to establish a number of clubs across the country.

Later on, Mr Daniels went on to become one of four World Chief Instructors for Kimura Shukokai International, earning the title of Shihan, which means "master teacher" or "teacher of teachers".

Mr Daniels funeral is due to take place at All Saints Church, in Sedgley, on March 5. Thousands of people are expected to attend, including leading names from karate, including Mr Donovan OBE.