A fitness guru from Melksham is preparing to compete in the Mr Britain body building contest later this year.

Alan Dean, who owns City Fitness in New Broughton Road, came first in the over 50s qualifying heat for the October final in Portsmouth .

Since then he has been planning his training regime, which will see him eat protein foods such as meat and eggs up until a week before the competition, when he will bulk out on carbohydrate-rich foods.

Mr Dean, 51, and a former Mr North Germany, said: “It is a kind of beauty contest for men, you get your tan done and put on swimming trunks and pose.

“I didn’t take the qualifying round as seriously as I should have, but now I am through I am going to take the Mr Britain contest very seriously.

“It is being held in October and there will be men from across the country competing.”

Mr Dean, who lived in Germany before moving to Wiltshire about three years ago, is no stranger to these types of competitions.

He said: “I hope doing something like this will encourage other men over 50 to take up a sport or start training."