A MEAT and fish company are celebrating county success as the sponsors of a British powerlifter.

The Fabulous Meat and Fish Company in Helmsley, near Thirsk signed up to sponsor Ben Wharton, who is competing in the World Classic Powerlifting Championships next month.

Mr Wharton, 22, from Hovingham near Malton, will represent Great Britain in Helsingborg, Sweden on Sunday, June 9.

According to his sponsors Alan and Amanda Goodwill, the pair met the powerlifter through providing produce for the store he works at, when not training.

Mrs Goodwill said: “We are delighted to be backing Ben and doing our bit to keep him well fed with the very best quality produce.

"We only buy our meats direct from local farmers and take very seriously our commitment to animal welfare and provenance.

"We wish Ben all the best in the upcoming World Championships, and we’ll be cheering him on from Helmsley."

In order to keep in fine form, Mr Wharton has to consume around 4,500 to 5,000 calories during training days, but has already benefitted from Ms Goodwill's produce.

Mr Wharton added: “As you can imagine, training the way I do, I need to eat a very high calorie but healthy diet, and good quality meat is a key part of that.

"I’m very grateful to The Fabulous Meat and Fish Company for keeping me well supplied.

"I’m very lucky to have such a fantastic company on my doorstep who wanted to support me."

Mr Wharton is currently ranked ninth in the world in his class.