DORSET strongman Shane Flowers has been forced to withdraw from his World's Strongest Man debut due to injury.

Flowers, competing in Sacramento, California, sustained a foot injury in the first round - the loading race.

He then bravely fought on in the second round, achieving four deadlifts over 300kg in little over 30 seconds.Β 

However, after assessing his injury, which he later revealed had caused his left foot to swell "double its normal size" he abandoned the competition with another day of qualification still to go.

Taking to his official Facebook page, a "gutted" Flowers wrote: "Unfortunately my WSM debut was over before it really started.

"Suspected soft tissue damage to my left foot sustained before and during the first event. Obviously I’m gutted.

"I’ve had zero rest bite since I started out in my strongman journey so some rest and downtime is long overdue. I’ll be back with a vengeance that’s for sure.

"Best of luck to all the other competitors especially the British lads who are smashing it. LFG."

Flowers can still be proud of his achievements in the past year, having won England's Strongest Man, claiming seventh in Britain's Strongest Man and then fifth at Europe's Strongest Man in April.

Flowers will now finish bottom of Group Four, with USA strongman Martins Licis currently topping the standings on 21.5 points ahead of the final qualification day.

Competition for a play-off place is fierce, with just two points separating Canada's Maxime Boudreault (17), Ukraine's Pavlo Kordiyaka (16.5) and Britain's Gavin Bilton (15).