CHRIS Higgs (pictured) became the first ever fighter from the Forest of Dean to win a professional boxing title at GL1, Gloucester on Saturday night.

Higgs beat Walsall's Joel Ryan in an epic battle for the vacant light welterweight British Masters in front of 1,300 noisy supporters.

After being awarded the fight by a 98-93 majority, Higgs sunk to his knees in delight and exhaustion, before being engulfed by a sea of friends and family who took over the ring.

He is now planning to show off his British title belt with an open-top bus ride around the Forest.

See this week's Forester for the full story