Bodybuilding mum eyes universe title

To her two daughters, she is mum, but to the bodybuilding world Kim Byrne is an iron-pumping champion who is now in the running for the title of Ms Universe after winning a national competition.

The 40-year-old of Stone Lane, Yeovil, won the NAC Open British Championships in Manchester last weekend, earning herself a place in the international contest.

WINNING FIGURE: Kim Byrne from Yeovil has won a place in the Ms Universe bodybuilding contest. Despite being in her first year of competition, she has qualified for the Ms Universe contest next month. Picture by James Dadzitis
IN TONE: Kim Byrne in action at a recent bodybuilding contest. Despite being in her first year of competition, she has qualified for the Ms Universe contest next month

She balances her rigid fitness regime with holding down four jobs. She is an aerobics instructor, health care assistant and nail technician, plus a mother of two. And she still finds the time to train between two and three hours a day, five days a week.

As well as lifting weights in the gym, she also trains outdoors as much as possible, cycling and taking hilly walks along the coast.

Ms Byrne's victory means she will go forward to the Ms Universe contest in Hamburg, Germany, in December, despite only starting to compete in March. At 5ft 3ins, she enters ladies' figure competitions as these are more feminine than other categories