Austin Williams, 31, from the Scowles, Coleford, has won the inaugural title of Mr Harrogate.

Austin, 31, who is currently working as manager for the Maximum Sports Nutrition Shop in Harrogate, destroyed the competition at the Mr Harrogate Fitness/Bodybuilding Competition with the odds stacked against him. Not being local he was the only one of the eight competitors not to train at the same gym in Harrogate. Instead he chose to train twice a day at the Intrim Gym in Ripon near where he is staying.

The competitors battled it out as the audience voted to decide the winner based on physical condition and tone over three gruelling rounds. Money was raised in the Charity Prize Raffle in aid of Leeds LGI Kidney Unit, Springwater Special School, Harrogate and Forest School, Knaresborough. Austin is well known locally as a Second Dan Black Belt Tae Kwon Do ace who ran a class at Cinderford for many years before work commitments took over.