A super strong Scots grandad is getting back into competitive weightlifting - at the grand old age of 85.
George Byng has been pumping iron for over 70 years, lifting his first set of weights in his friend's back garden aged 15.
The grandad-of-six has been crowned Scottish and British weightlifting champion on numerous occasions over the years and has even coached Olympic teams.
In November George, from Greenock, Inverclyde used his incredible talent for good, lifting an Imperial Ton, 1020 kilograms, to raise money for charity.
Lifting 85 kilograms, the equivalent of a washing machine or a baby elephant, twelve times over, he raised over £2000 for poverty-stricken kids.
But that's not enough for hero George who, after years away from competitions, wants to put himself back in the ring this year.
He told the Record: "I love the challenge of weightlifting. Some people like to run further every day, I like to lift weights.
"It keeps me fit which is important too.
"Put it this way, you never see elderly people running for a bus but you always see them carrying heavy shopping bags. Weight training is good for people our age."
Looking to bulk up as a schoolboy, George didn't think for a minute he'd go as fas as he has.
"I liked it straight away and soon got into club championships, which led to national level," he added.
"It started with bench presses and after a couple of years I could do a bench press with double my body weight.
"I got better and better, and it went from there."
The retired draftsman scooped gold medals at the Scottish championships between 1963 and 1969. In 1970 he competed in the Edinburgh Commonwealth Games.
George took a step back from competing and from 1974 to 1981 coached the Scottish Olympic team.
During that time he met his second wife Maureen, 76, with whom he shares four children and whose support and hearty plates of chicken soup have been 'terrific'.
After some time focusing on family life, George got back into competing in 1992.
By this point he was a grandfather and 56-years-old putting him in the Masters Weightlifting Championship category.
From that year onwards, superstar George took home gold an astonishing 12 times at British championships.
Not satisfied, George also took part in the World Masters Championships, scooping medals in countries all over the world such as Canada, Greece, Austria and Germany.
Greece in 2001 saw him lift his heaviest weight yet, 175 kilograms, around the same as an adult, male reindeer, scoring second place.
His last world championship effort was in 2011 when he came in fourth place.
Sticking to a healthy diet, including muesli, tuna pasta and a 'little bit of chocolate' while continuing to hit Greenock Sports Centre George's love of a challenge was reignited during November's charity event.
Now he's looking into rejoining the Masters competitions but remains modest when it comes to his incredible achievements.
"I'm still alive and kicking," he added.
"My family are very supportive and my wife Maureen is really good at helping me with my diet.
"It's all about getting the right vitamins and staying active.
"I live in a fourth floor flat and need to carry shopping backs up those stairs every day.
"I've been to some amazing places with weightlifting and would like to compete again.
"Why not? It keeps me fit and shows that anyone can do it."
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