Jeff Roberts is a man who could probably break bones quite easily if he wanted to -- luckily he is far more interested in mending them.

The 35-year-old kung fu champion from New Barnet recently returned from a two week trip to Hong kong where he honed his knowledge of Chinese medicine.

Mr Roberts, 35, teaches kung fu at The London Oriental Art Academy in North Finchley but he said his emphasis now is on healing more than fighting.

"I've been practising kung fu for 22 years and have been interested in Chinese medicine for about five.

"I believe it's the next step up. As well as learning how to defend yourself, you have to know how to heal. It's the balance of life."

Most of his training came through working with acknowledged experts in the field including a stint with Hong Kong's first truly mobile clinic operating from a van.

Mr Roberts is now one of the few people in the UK accredited by the International Traditional Chinese Medicine and Herbalist Association of Hong Kong. In effect he is qualified to practice the art of bone setting -- a form of osteopathy involving massage and manipulation of broken bones.

"An elderly lady came in one day. Her left forearm had broken but the bone had not gone through the skin. I reset it using the palms of my hands before putting a herbal poultice over the arm and bandaging it up," said Mr Roberts.

"The following day she returned to the clinic and she could move her hand. That sort of treatment is common in Hong Kong."

Other techniques include herbalism, acupressure -- acupuncture without needles, massage, moxibustion -- where herbs are burnt just above the skin, and cupping -- where circular cups are used to encourage blood flow to the skin.

Though he is not planning to practice here at the moment and saves his remedies for students in his kung fu classes, Mr Roberts believes interest in Eastern medicine will grow and grow.

"There is definitely a future in alternative health. They believe you heal the inside first. The body's natural defence system is in harmony with herbs and massage and they don't use addictive prescription drugs."

o For more informaiton on The London Oriental Art Academy, 345-347 Ballards Lane, North Finchley, call 0181 492 0522.

Converted for the new archive on 30 June 2000.Some images and formatting may have been lost in the conversion.