Ananova:

A middle-aged Russian mum has become a black belt in karate to protect her 22-year-old son from bullies.

Valentina Ivanova, 50, felt forced into action after years of watching shy Danila getting bullied by local gangs in Moscow.

She told local newspaper Zhizn: "I'd had enough of Danila coming home all battered and bruised.

"One time I even found him being beaten by a big guy with huge muscles and there were these other boys and girls standing around and laughing. He's too shy to do anything about it himself so I started a karate course to protect him.

"I soon put what I had learnt into practice on one of the bullies and since then my son has had no trouble at all. I gave the bully a dose of his own medicine.

"Now not only does he not go near my son anymore he even offers to carry my shopping bags for me when I come home."