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Charles Bronson, the man, the myth and the moustache.

The armed robber's life - so much of which has been spent in solitary confinement - so fascinates the country that he has even been the subject of a film and played by none other than Tom Hardy, who he counts as a friend.

But what do we really know about the man who rechristened himself Charles Salvador, in honour or artist Salvador Dali, because of his love of painting?

Well, for one thing, we know he got engaged to Paul Williamson on Valentines day this year because his fiancee allowed us to record the phone call in which he did it.

But here are some little known facts about him that throw a little more light on the mysterious man behind bars.

1. Born Michael Gordon Peterson in 1952 to a respectable middle-class family in Aberystwyth, West Wales, he would eventually move on to Liverpool and then Luton where he would go on to earn a living as a circus strongman.

2. Bronson changed his name to that of the Hollywood star of the Death Wish films after a bare knuckle fight promoter said it would be a bigger pull than his real name, Michael Peters.

3. Bronson was originally jailed for seven years for armed robbery in 1974 at the age of 19, and has had a series of sentences added to his original term over the years for attacking inmates and prison staff along with over a dozen hostage taking incidents.

(Image: Wales Online)

Charles Bronson: "I told Rose West to hang herself after she sent me love letter from jail"

4. To date he's has served over 34 years in prison and solitary confinement, spending just 131 days as a free man since his initial imprisonment.

He was released in October 1988 and spent 68 days as a free man before being arrested for robbery. He also tasted freedom in November 1992 for 53 days, before inevitably returning to jail for conspiracy to rob.

He remains a Category A prisoner in Wakefield high-security prison where he is still in solitary confinement

5. Weighing 210lbs and standing five feet ten and a half inches tall, Bronson is renowned for his strength, having bent metal cell doors with his bare hands. His daily training regime includes up to 3,000 press-ups a day.

6. Bronson holds six world records for feats of strength and fitness and well as an unofficial record for the most prison rooftop protests by any UK inmate.

(Image: Rex)

(Image: PA)

(Image: Photo News Service)

(Image: Adam Gerrard/Daily Mirror)

7. He carried out his most infamous hostage incident in 1998, when he took two Iraqi hijackers and another inmate hostage at Belmarsh prison in London.

Insisting his hostages call him "General", he told negotiators he would eat one of his victims before demanding a helicopter to Cuba along with a cheese and pickle sandwich to end the stand off.

In 2000 he was jailed for life after being convicted of holding a teacher hostage for nearly two days during a jail siege.

(Image: Adam Gerrard/Daily Mirror) (Image: Vertigo Films)

8. In recent years, Bronson has become a published author and cartoonist. Among his eleven books, is a health and fitness guide in which he shares some of the secrets behind his legendary muscle power. Profits raised from his work go to children's animal charities.

9. First married in December 1970 to Irene, he has one son named Michael.

In 2001, Bronson married again, this time to Saira Rehman, who began writing to him after seeing his picture in a newspaper.

Following his wedding, Bronson briefly converted to Islam and took the name Charles Ali Ahmed. He later renounced the religion and the name when the pair divorced. He became engaged to Paul Williamson on February 14, 2017.

10. Bronson's infamy grew with the release of a biopic charting his eventful life. Directed by Nicolas Winding Refn, it features Tom Hardy in the starring role alongside Silent Witness star Amanda Burton.