BRITAIN’S strongest disabled men are set to lift the profile of Chard when the town plays host to the national championships late this year.

The fourth British Disabled Strongman competition will be held in the Guildhall on May 12 thanks to the hard work of founder Gary Clarke.

As well as founding the national event, Chard-native Gary was also the country’s first disabled strongman.

This year’s British Disabled Strongman will be judged by four-time World Strongman Magnus Ver Magnusson and Arnar Mar Jonsson – the founder of the Disabled World Strongman competition.

Mr Clarke, who has cerebral palsy, said: “It is going to be a big event this year.

“We are in our fourth year now. Having held it in Stoke-on-Trent and Kent, I always wanted to bring it to Chard.

“It has grown so much that we have had to have an English qualifier before running this.

“The event is going to have a bit of a Somerset twist. We have a hay bail hoist which is going to be a pulling event as we can’t do a truck pull indoors.”

Other events this year will be an axle press, a seated dead lift, a forward hold, and the famous atlas stones.

Continuing the Somerset theme, the forward hold will involve competitors lifting a large cheese wheel.

Gary has strong connections to both Chard and Ilminster, including training with Simon Lunn at Phoenix Fitness, and is hoping the towns’ people will coming out to support the event.

He added: “I am proud to bring it to my own town.

“We are still looking for sponsors for the event, and some local businesses have already got behind it.

“The more finances that we can get behind it, the better show we are able to put on for people.

“I am immensely proud and I want it to be the best Britain’s we have had.”