Tom Stoltman: Scot lifts World's Strongest Man title

Tom Stoltman has become the first Scot to win the World's Strongest Man title.

The 6ft 8in, 397lb (180kg) athlete from Invergordon won the competition at Sacramento in California.

The 27-year-old is already a Scotland's Strongest Man title holder and the younger brother of five-times Scotland's Strongest Man Luke Stoltman.

He has often spoken about living with autism, saying that when he was a teenager he was unable to go outside on his own.

The Scot, who finished runner up in the international competition last year, won the title after competing in a series of events from 15-20 June.

The contests included deadlifts and log lifts.

Tom - known on the strongman circuit as The Albatross - is a specialist at the Atlas Stones event. It involves lifting and carrying over a distance five spherical stones which increase in weight.

Growing up, Tom described himself as being "football daft" and he would miss school to play or watch football.

He said his passion for the game, along with support from his parents, wider family and others, helped him manage the effects of autism.

Tom was encouraged to take up weight training by his older brother Luke - aka The Highland Oak - but said he was not initially too interested because of his passion for football.

But after competing in his first competition - a fifth place in a Scotland's Strongest Man qualifier - when he was 18 he said he got the "bug" for strongman events.

Tom went on to compete and also win places at Scottish and UK championships.