Whitstable strong man is southern champ

WINDOW washer Paul Wood is cleaning up on the strong man circuit.

Paul, 37, has proved climbing up ladders with buckets of water can keep a chap fit.

He has just won the title of strongest man in south England.

Paul, of Cornwallis Circle, Whitstable, said: "I don't want to sound big-headed but I destroyed everyone."

The 6ft 2ins man mountain won five out of six events in the under-105kg category and ended up with a lead of 21 points, knocking his 14 opponents into touch at Reading on Sunday.

Paul, a former Sir William Nottidge pupil (now the Community College) lives with his girlfriend Kerri Miles, eats five meals a day and trains four times a week with Terry Holland, Britain's 2007 Strongest Man, on a farm in Faversham.

Paul shot to fame after winning England's Strongest Man competition in 2007 but then took a year off.

He said: "I wasn't happy walking around weighing 19-and-a-half stones so after five years of non-stop training I took a break."

He now weighs 16-and-a-half stones (104kg) and competes in the lighter category.

The win qualifies him for England's Strongest Man title match in June.

He said: "Terry is going for the heavyweight title so we could be the first two national champions to come from one gym."

He added: "I'm looking forward to getting the title back. I'm going to win. I'm not doing this for a laugh."

Strong arm tactics

To win, Paul had to :

* Flip a tractor tyre the weight of a small cow;

* Lift five huge concrete "Atlas stones" onto a pedestal;

* Carry two 120kg weights, one in each hand, over 20 metres in 7.9 seconds.

* Pull a truck;