A STRONGMAN who went up against the world’s best weightlifters has died at the age of 52.

Former police officer Lee Bowers competed in the World’s Strongest Man after being successful in the British competitions.

He started out as a runner and competed as a sprinter in his mid-teens for West Craven High School.

He then took up bodybuilding, competing in the Pendle Valley competition aged just 17.

The dad-of three and grandfather-of-five died on Saturday, October 4. The cause of his death has not yet been confirmed.

Speaking on behalf of the family, friend Gary Parkinson, who spoke to him the day before his death, said: "We have lost a great man. Lee was a fantastic weightlifter and was extremely strong.

“He excelled in the shoulder press and the bench press.

“We spoke to each other at 7pm and agreed to go to the gym the following day, but overnight he died.

“It’s come as a shock to everyone as it has come so quickly.”

Mr Bowers trained at Rolls Royce Gym in Barnoldswick and at another gym in Great Harwood.

He later worked in security and with BT in Accrington and completed a degree in sports management at the University of Central Lancashire.

He was six foot tall and weighed in the region of 23 to 24 stone during his strongman days, Mr Parkinson said.

Mr Bowers could bench press in excess of 270kg and held the British record for the most repetitions of a log press in one minute – 29 – a record he set in 1996.

He showed off his impressive strength to millions of viewers on BBC1 in 2003 as he took part in that year’s World Strongest Man competition, missing out on third spot by two points.

The strongman also had a passion for ju jitsu, and trained at the Bushido Ju Jitsu Academy in his hometown.

In 2006 the Lancashire Telegraph reported Mr Bowers helped catch a would-be thief who had tried to steal chicken from a supermarket in Colne.

Mr Parkinson added: “Lee was a great all-rounder. He was good at the atlas stones but he really did well in the big, main lifts, such as the bench press.

“He was a really good man – a great friend and great to his kids.”