THE Merrills family from Halliwell are true fighters -- Thai style.

Nicki Merrills, her husband Tony and 10-year-old son Anthony are all recent converts to Thai Boxing.

And mum Nicki is taking the lead -- having just won her debut professional fight.

"We are a fighting family," mum Nicki, a Sandy Holt pupil, laughed.

She won her first professional-rules fight in front of a packed Maxine's night club in Wigan and collected a shiny trophy for her efforts.

"It was a good atmosphere," said Nicki, from Sunnyside Road.

"My opponent didn't intimidate me whatsoever.

"I knew I had a job to do.

"I had Sandy and some of the other instructors in my corner, but no matter how many people were shouting out, I could only hear Sandy's voice.

Thrilled

"Apart from once, I picked out my son's voice, saying: 'Go on mum!'

"He was thrilled to pieces, running and around, saying: 'My mum has won'."

Nicki, aged 30, explained: "I was nervous before the fight but I think that's quite normal -- but I thought it was great.

"I loved the fight.

"I was tired but I knew straight away that I wanted to do it again.

"You feel no knocks or bangs because the adrenaline is pumping.

"I was on a high, I loved it."

She admitted she felt some aches, but she is already hoping to get in the ring again -- despite knowing she will be in for some tough training.

Before her winning fight, she trained for two weeks "non stop".

"I did running and trained nearly every day.

"To make sure I made the weight category, I had to watch was I was eating."

Nicki said there is half a stone difference between her "walking around" weight and her "fighting" weight.

At the bout -- against a more experienced woman from Leeds -- she weighed in at 53 kilos.

Even now, after the victorious fight, 30-year-old Nicki -- who works as a catering assistant at Smithills School -- still trains four to five times a week.

"It's a big commitment, but I don't see it as a chore, but as something I want to do."

Husband Tony, meanwhile, has also started Thai boxing and five months ago, little Anthony -- an Oxford Grove Primary School pupil -- started the sport, too.

"Anthony decided for himself that he wanted to do it.

"If we were both training we sometimes used to take him down with us to watch.

"He was bullied at school -- and he doesn't go round throwing his weight around but it has given him more confidence.

"He is doing really well and he wants to be a fighter."

Nicki has been Thai boxing for just over two years.

"I took to it straight away. I loved it.

"As soon as I started at Sandy Holt's I knew that was what I wanted to do.

"I had done a few different sports over the years, but never took to anything.

"I had heard of Thai boxing and thought I would give it a go and it grows on you and takes hold of you.

"I would recommend it to anyone.

"A lot of people think they have to be fit from day one -- but it's Sandy's job to get you fit.

"He trains all of us hard."