A novice body builder with a famous dad has walked away with the North West title after entering his very first competition.

Ben Lloyd, from Hollins Close in Accrington entered the novice category at the British Natural Body Building Federation (BNBF) competition in Manchester.

Ben, 32, who works as a personal trainer and is the son of Accrington cricketing legend David ‘Bumble’ Lloyd, said he had been encouraged to enter by friends and family.

He said: “It was my first competition so I entered the novice category and I was quite shocked when I won.

“I then went up against people competing in all the different categories from juniors right up to the over 50s.

“There were plenty of people there who could have won, I was really surprised to have been named the overall winner. I couldn’t believe it.

“I just wanted to qualify, but I guess I haven’t done too badly for my first competition.”

Ben, who converted his garage into a gym, said he had been considering entering a body building competition for a few months.

He said: “I’d been meaning to do it for a while, a lot of people had asked me why I hadn’t entered up until now, I like going to the gym and I thought it would be good for my business, Ben Lloyd PT that if I was in peak shape it would help my clients too.”

Ben will now go on to compete at the British finals in Scotland on September 25.

The BNBF was established in 200 to give natural body builders a place to complete. Those who compete for the BNBF have to adhere to a strict drug testing policy.

All British finalist are polygraphed and all class winners at every show are urine tested.

He said: “I was nervous for the Manchester competition but I’m really nervous for the competition in Scotland.

“That few minutes before you go out on stage when everybody is getting pumped can be quite nerve wracking, but once you get out on the stage and start posing the nerves disappear.

“I’ve been on a diet, I’ve had to cut down on the fats massively but I’m allowed sweets which isn’t too bad.

“My trainer that I’ve been working with won the Southern heat last year so it’s good to have someone that’s been there and done it to get advice from.”