Karate master Charlie Trorey was a 6th Dan and a great inspiration to budding local martial artists across his network of nine clubs.

Born in Great Yarmouth, Charlie was a tiny premature baby who had to fight to survive.

He died at the end of last year aged 62.

He grew up at Jubilee Place - now the Market Gates Shopping Centre - and worked for several local companies including Pertwee and Back, Birds Eye and Heatrod, where one of his colleagues started a karate club.

After a couple of years the instructor left and Charlie took over.

In an effort to provide the best instruction, Charlie would test himself in competition and seek out the best martial artists of the time, among them Joe Tierney 8th Dan, Wayne Otto OBE, Ticky Donovan OBE and Bill (Super Foot) Wallace 10th Dan.

This resulted in Charlie crafting a Korean based Karate style, that took Bruce Lee’s approach of adding what works to the mix.

Those who knew described him as “dynamic” and “always fired up and ready to go.”

His positive attitude was said to be infectious and the classes described as “buzzing.”

In the early days pads were thin and the slap of a solid round kick connecting always pleased him.

Charlie’s teaching style was said to go beyond karate helping his students to believe in themselves, to be confident, respectful and humble in all areas of their lives.

Over the decades Charlie went from local instructor to a nationally recognised coach, producing world class competition fighters and in his later years equally able kata and weapons competitors.

He also loved being part of the public displays, smashing blocks, roof tiles, and chopping apples on a samurai sword with his bare hands - occasionally injuring himself in the process, but never allowing the crowd to see.

Charlie’s memory and karate style will continue through the generations with many of his earliest students proud to say their sons and daughters were also trained by Charlie Trorey, who once inspired a whole family to train all the way to black belt.

He leaves a wife Vivianne and son Wayne.

Charlie was a man of few words, but once echoed the words of Bruce Lee, saying: “To be immortal, first you must have lived a life worth remembering. And I certainly have done that.”