ANDY Baker is throwing his full weight behind the home-town wrestling school he has launched.

The Runcorn Wrestling Academy (RWA) meets on Saturdays at Grangeway Community Centre, Runcorn, and its founder is delighted with the way things are going.

He said: 'The academy has had a big response.

'A lot of people are interested in starting training and because they feel I have a good background, RWA is the ideal place for them to start.

'I am getting between nine and 12 trainees weekly with more to follow in the coming weeks.

'All the trainees have a lot of potential and I am sure this potential will show more as they begin to become more confident in themselves.'

The RWA hasn't only attracted interest from Runcorn but from further afield.

Trainees have been travelling from Shrewsbury, Crewe, Wirral, Wigan and Warrington.

'There are a few with some experience but most of them are starting from scratch and progressing pretty fast,' explained Andy.

'I have been teaching a lot of basics - rolls, break falls, chain wrestling, technique and psychology.

'But I am incorporating new things every week and have just overhauled the training.'

Andy is coaching single-handedly and drawing on the experiences of his time in the United States, where he has trained at Ohio Valley Wrestling and rubbed shoulders with superstars of WWE.

He isn't giving up his dream of making the big-time without a fight and was heartened this summer when he took 364th spot on the PWI 500 annual list of top wrestlers worldwide.

He said: 'A lot of people see me in work or in the street and assume because I am home and not in America, I have given up wrestling at OVW but I haven't.

'I am home because of money, because I attended WWE Raw and because of some personal reasons.'

The academy meets on Saturdays from 11.30am-3.30pm.

There is no joining fee but a charge of £6 per session which Baker says compares favourably with the £10 charged by many schools.

'The school is open to all - men, women and juniors,' he added.

'RWA has its own liability cover and does offer individual cover.

'All students are supervised at all times.

'I would like to see people from different sports having a go just to see how fit you have to be (as a wrestler) and how hard the training can be.'

Training will continue 12 months of the year.

And Baker, who has been busy promoting the academy said: 'I have been putting posters around Runcorn and on wrestling sites around the UK.

'My website is having a complete makeover and will include a training page.'

The school has a 15ft wrestling ring and there is a TV and video for watching wrestling tapes.

Baker said: 'My mum and her boyfriend John have helped me with purchasing the ring.

'I have had no luck with getting sponsors although Fitness First are helping me with my training needs which is a great help.

'I am looking for companies to maybe sponsor ring skirts and T-shirts etc.'

Baker is keen to stage some charity shows at Grangeway including one for Cancer Research/Macmillan which would be in memory of his grandmother who died of cancer last year.

He said: 'I have been busy getting myself in ring shape and my body is slowly coming along to where I want it to be.

'I have worked too hard to give up on my dreams and now I really need to be persistent in showing WWE exactly what Andrew Baker is all about.'