A TROUPE of karate kids have skipped their way into the final of a reality TV competition.

The four-strong team from the Oxford School of Martial Arts have battled their way through to the final round of Jump Nation, an X-Factor-style CBBC programme, which will be shown tomorrow.

The show features groups of dancers, hip hop experts and circus style acts who battle it out to put their own personal touch to the game of skipping.

The Oxford group, Team Taurus, made up of Dan Casey, 13, from North Oxford, Lewis Dark, 14, from Wolvercote, Yasmina O’Sullivan, 11, from Marston, and Nisha Hare, 12, from Botley, have been using their karate skills to wow judges.

Mary Stevens, 38, a teacher at Oxford School of Martial Arts, said she hoped people would tune in to watch the team in action.

She said: “The kids have worked really hard throughout the show.

“We hope everyone will tune in on Saturday.

“We can’t say too much but it will be well worth watching.”

The programme will see Team Taurus battle it out against two teams from London, called Pulse and XD, in the hope of winning the grand prize, a trip to a skipping camp in Idaho, in the US.

The group will perform two pieces, a martial arts medley to Keep On Jumpin’, by the Lisa Marie Experience, and a rugby-style routine in the skip-off, starting off with the haka and incorporating a rugby ball, to the tune of Seven Nation Army, by White Stripes.

Julian Dark, the father of Cherwell School pupil Lewis, said the children had been having a great time on the show.

Mr Dark said: “It does feel a bit strange watching them on TV.

“I know a lot of their friends have been watching the show and the schools have been really supportive.

“The whole thing has been a really great experience for them.”

Jump Nation will be shown at 8.30am tomorrow on BBC 2, and will be repeated on CBBC at 2pm on Sunday.