Lanark teen Catherine McIntyre beats the bullies

A LANARK girl who felt suicidal after being bullied at school has turned her life around by taking up taekwon-do.
Battling back...Catherine McIntyre is now a gold medal winner at taekwon-do (Pic Lindsay Addison)Battling back...Catherine McIntyre is now a gold medal winner at taekwon-do (Pic Lindsay Addison)
Battling back...Catherine McIntyre is now a gold medal winner at taekwon-do (Pic Lindsay Addison)

Catherine McIntyre (13), of Smyllum Road, hit rock bottom back in June after being “slammed against a wall” and threatened with further violence by fellow Lanark Grammar pupils.

Her mum Joanne said: “Catherine was threatening to take her life because she’d had enough of the bullies.”

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Third year pupil Catherine appeared so traumatised that Joanne withdrew her from attending school two weeks before the summer recess.

But it was then that Joanne spotted an advert for Scotia TKD in the Carluke and Lanark Gazette – and Catherine’s resurgence began!

Catherine and her sister Hannah (9) decided to join Scotia TKD and just a few weeks later Catherine won sparring and patterns taekwon-do gold medals at an inter club competition in Blackburn Community Centre. Both girls also do kickboxing.

“Catherine has come a hell of a long way in six months,” Joanne added. “She has really come out of her shell and learned how to defend herself.”

For more information on this stoy, pick up a copy of this week’s Carluke and Lanark Gazette.