YORK strongman Rob Dixon has become the first Yorkshireman ever to be asked to compete at the World's Strongest Man tournament, to be held in South Africa.

The showpiece annual event - famously won by policeman Geoff Capes in the 1980s - is being held next month and will be shown on television around Christmas.

And 36-year-old Dixon, from Haxby, has shown enough super-strength in recent months to win an invitation to take part.

He came within half a point of winning the UK's Strongest Man event earlier this year, and a fine performance in the Britain's Strongest Man competition - despite the fact he was by far the lightest competitor, weighing 19st 2lb - enhanced his standing in the sport.

Dixon, who owns the Samson and Delilah's Fitness Centre in Haxby and the new similarly-named gym in Pocklington, is contracted not to say how he fared in the GB contest, which is to be screened later this summer having taken place at Alton Towers in May.

But he did say the competition was so fierce that national and world records were broken.

"This invite goes on what has happened in the recent past, including the Britain's Strongest Man competition, and how I've done overall in the last season or so," said the 5ft 9in muscle-man, who won the GB title in 1997.

The qualifying rounds for the World's Strongest Man take place between August 3 and 6, with the final, involving the top ten competitors, being held from August 9 to 12.