DISABLED women are turning to martial arts to protect themselves from attackers.

There has been a dramatic increase in assaults on able bodied and disabled women in Dyfed and Powys.

However handicapped women fear that they are more at risk than able bodied women and have turned to martial arts instructor Stephen Lipscombe to show them how to protect themselves.

Thirty year old Aikido instructor Stephen is devising a special self-defence course for the disabled and hopes to bring out a video for them.

Stephen said: "Assaults on women are on the increase, the disabled especially are worried that they are too weak to fight off attackers.

"I have been approached by women in wheelchairs and arthritis sufferers who wanted to learn to defend themselves so I am devising a series of classes for people with disabilities."

Stephen has taken into account the individual disabilities and weaknesses that his pupils will have.

He said: "There is a lot of women can do with just a little knowledge to fight off an attacker, they don't necessarily have to be strong.

He added: "The disabled can learn how to attack pressure points to ward off an attacker, they do not need physical strength."