RISHTON strongman Mark Felix earned his place alongside the strongest men on the planet after finishing third in Wednesday night’s televised Britain’s Strongest Man contest.

In the TV final, 42-year-old Mark performed feats of strength including pulling a 40-tonne train for over 20 metres.

He also carried two motorbikes with a combined weight of over 60 stones and competed in the Giant Farmers’ Walk with a 25-stone weight in each hand.

The 6ft4in 22-stone man mountain will now go on to compete in his fifth World’s Strongest Man competition in West Virginia next week.