A muscle-bound trio have just got through the heats to fly the flag for Blackpool in this year's National Amateur Bodybuilding Association finals.

Mike Prendergast, 30 from Layton, and Dave and Cheryl Steele from Preesall have trained together for years and this weekend they are in Southport to compete for a place in the final at the end of May.

While David and Cheryl are old hands on the competition circuit, Mike is relatively new and looking forward to representing his home town on the national stage.

Diet

Sales manager Mike, of Mansfield Road, Layton, who is 5ft 4in tall and 13 stone, said: "I can't wait to getting to the final on May 30.

"I don't know of anybody else from Blackpool who is entering so it would be really nice to bring the prize back home to the Fylde.

"I've been training for about five hours a day to make sure I am in good shape for it.

"I'm on a really high protein diet so am eating two chicken fillets every hour and a half to help me build up my body.

"I actually get sponsored by Clifton Quality Meats for the chicken – which is great because it would cost a fortune!"

All three competitors are undergoing a gruelling exercise regime at Oxygym on Mowbray Drive.

Muscle man Dave, 50, has won the competition twice and says there is a lot more to it than tearing up phone books.

He said: "You spend hours on the day going through all the different stages so you need to

make sure that not only are you in the best possible shape, but also that you have practised all your poses. If I won my class again it would be a hat-trick for me.

"I hope it encourages other youngsters to train and enter competitions like this."

Petite Cheryl, 52, returned to the competition circuit in 2005 after an absence of 17 years.

She has got through to the trained figure section.

She said: "I kept training throughout the 17 years I was away so it is nice to be back.

"I have won many competitions in the past.

"I was Miss England in 2005 and Miss United Kingdom in 2006 so if I won this I'd be really pleased."