MUSCULAR Swindon firefighter Nick Jones has been named Mr Wales.

Nick, 26, took part in the British Natural Bodybuilding Foundation Welsh Championships in Newport and won the novice competition.

But, despite his new title, he has no plans to put down his fireman's hose.

"I have been training for nine years and people have always told me I should compete on stage so I gave it a go," said Nick, a firefighter at Swindon Fire Station on Drove Road.

In order to be ready for the challenging competition Nick had to go through a strict regime.

"I trained solid for 12 weeks," he said.

"It took loads of dieting, lots of early mornings and no beer.

"Before the competition I went from 15 stone down to 13."

It was Nick's brother-in-law who introduced him to the sport.

"He was a semi-pro rugby player," Nick said.

"And when he started seeing my sister he started to ask me if I wanted to go to the gym.

"I always played a lot of sport when I was younger but it got difficult to play team sports with my shifts."

After winning the Welsh Championships Nick's next challenge is the British finals.

The national event will be held in Glasgow in October.

The event is described on the BNBF website as "a throwback to the golden age of 80s bodybuilding."

"If I win the British then I would go pro and compete for money," said Nick.

"I'd also like to compete in the USA next year in California."

However, despite national and international competitions pending Nick will not be forgetting his duties as a firefighter.

"I've been in Swindon for a year after moving from Swansea," he said.

"But I have been a fireman for four years.

"I'd like to get into fitness modelling but I will definitely remain a fireman.

"I enjoy the banter too much to give it up."

Many friends and families travelled to support Nick at the event and he said it was only his colleagues who wound him up.

He said: "They all joked about coming along as circus strong men with the big curled moustaches.

"I'm glad they didn't do that.

"I'd just like to thank Vern Montgomery from the 24 hour gym for all the help he gave me in preparing for the competition."