Jeffries took on the best lifters in Europe, including eight national champions and won by 5kg.

Jeffries, who has lived in Lynn all his life, has had a great year lifting under the watchful eye of his two coaches, Paul Kerridge, a British champion, and Ian Kinghorn, a world champion.

This year, Jeffries has won five major competitions and has broken the British bench-press record which has stood for 24 years and was thought that it could not be broken.

In all this year, he has set four divisional and three British records and became the European champion.

Jeffries, who trains at Bodylines Gym in Lynn, and the famous Yardley Gobion Club in Milton Keynes, is hoping to lift in the world championships in Texas in 2010 but is in need of sponsorship.

Anyone interested can contact him at his family business, at Gaywood Pizza House on 01553 767012 or 07799 712836.

European bench-press champion James Jeffries.